Detrimental Benefits
by Dreaming-Of-A-Nightmare
Summary: a detrimental benefit: an oxymoron that implies anything received which is meant to be positive is in fact harmful to it's receiver. Example: Falling in love with your hated enemy who also happens to be the same gender as you are. .:. AU NaruGaa. read A/N
1. Important Author's Notice

Detrimental: causing damage, harm, or disadvantage. _Antonym:_ beneficial  
Benefit: something that has a good effect or promotes well-being. _Antonym:_ detriment  
A 'detrimental benefit': an oxymoron that implies anything received which is meant to be positive is in fact harmful to it's receiver. _Example: _Falling in love with your hated enemy who just so happens to be the same gender as you are.

**A/N: Konnichiwa, mina!** _Dreaming-Of-A-Nightmare_** at your service for another NaruGaa fanfic! This one is AU taking place in Konoha High** (a usual setting for these AU fics)**. This story has a similar-yet-changed plot inspired by the novel Love Letters, Perfect Strangers by** _Jahnna N. Malcolm_**. It's a really good book if you care for, you know, teen romance written at a 6th-grade reading level. In the book, the main character** (Madison)** is a good student and a junior, blahblah, and her technology teacher assigns his whole class – which means her – an anonymous e-mail address to write to for once month. It's the _Heart-2-Heart program_ that gives kinds a chance to talk to someone they don't know who won't judge them. It's supposed to get you to open up and have new friends and perhaps work out some issues at home, but Madison ends up falling for the guy she's e-mailing. But what's this? He turns out to be her biggest enemy.**

**That's where NaruGaa comes in! I revised the plot line and events to suit my needs, but generally I'm going to have Gaara be a transfer student since the 8th grade **(about age 13, nearly 14)** from Suna High. The story won't start there, but the background story about him and Naruto coming to very much dislike one another will start there. Present time** (when the story actually starts)** will be junior year like in the novel, and Iruka **(because I love that guy so much)** will be the one to suggest to his technology class that they are going to start the _Faceless-and-Nameless Project_ in which each student across the entire school gets assigned an e-mail of someone they don't know and have to write to them for once month without sharing identities, only thoughts.**

**Unfortunately, FF.n doesn't allow certain things, so e-mail adresses look normal in my Word Doc but on here they will appear like this:** usernamehere(at)yahoo/hotmail(dot)com

**There will be hints of other couples, like KibaHina, ShikaTem, one-sided SasuNaru, one-sided LeeGaa, one-sided MatsuGaa, one-sided SakuSasu and InoSasu, and some NejiTen, but mainly you will hear about the NaruGaa. If Gaara feels the same way later on, who knows, it might also be GaaNaru. But we'll see.**

**Lots of people make Iruka as Naruto's AU guardian, which makes sense and all, but in my fic** (since I like the father-son like relationship for them) **Kyuubi is his adoptive father. You'll see what I mean in chapter 4. **

**I know you all hate opening chapters that are Author's Notes, but have no fear; I made sure to type up 4 whole chapters** (one being an opening flashback, so it'll be all italics)** before posting just this. So you'll have quite a bit to read to start off with.**

**Also, this entire fic will be in third person aside from the e-mails and text messages. But know this: ALL POETRY IN THIS FIC BELONGS TO ME. That's right, I wrote it, so no stealing or I'll personally kick your ass.**

**Now go read the first few chapters, and be sure to tell me what you think by leaving a review! **

P.S.** To see what my AU versions of Naruto and Gaara are based off of, please see my profile for a tinypic link. Also, certain medication is mentioned in chapter 3, and I choose it from a website I found. Here's the link with spaces: WebMD. com/ depression/ guide/ medication-options** (you can probably guess what kind of medication now, and maybe even who it's for, but I won't tell. To double-check your guesses, just wait to read chapter 3.)


	2. Chapter 1: Crossing Paths

Chapter 1: Crossing Paths

_The school year started off with so much promise; everyone was excited to be leaving middle school and graduating onto high school here in Konohagakure . As an 8th grade class, they've been through it all: the trying gym periods, the new-found crushes and heartbreaks, the first kiss, and the discovery of sexual orientations. Not to mention all the secrets that as elementary students no one thought were possible. In middle school, and now in 8th grade, it seemed secrets were everywhere, along with rumors._

_Some rumors were a lie, childish in their shocking supposed truths and risqué in their hidden meanings. Rumors like these involved hand-jobs to someone from someone else, or someone being anorexic or bulimic, or the occasional pregnant rumor. None of these were true, but children of thirteen and fourteen like to make such things up to feel... older. And who could blame them? They were bursting at the seams in anticipation for high school, where 'drugs, sex, and rock and roll' were imminent. _

_But there were other rumors, other secrets, which no one wanted to believe: things like Sasuke Uchiha transferring to the Sound Academy for boys, the gang at the high school known as the Akatsuki (which where believed to commit shootings in downtown Konoha as admittance to the gang), or so-and-so being gay. These secrets, these specific rumors, were all partially true in one way or another as opposed to the lying ones listed above. _

_One rumor that stumbled across the lips of the eighth grade came about two moths into the school year was a rumor of a family of four moving to Konoha from Sunagakure. The two towns were, in a matter of speaking, rivals. No one much liked anyone from the conflicting other town, a silent hatred kept behind closed doors. So when they heard of the moving set, everyone was simply buzzing about it._

_To come was the Sabaku family, consisting of an unnamed father of respectable status, an eldest daughter by the name of Temari, a middle son named Kankurou, and the youngest child, a boy called Gaara. Specifically, and despite the quiet feud between the neighboring towns, the girls all wondered if any of the two boys were attractive. On entering the schools, the 8th grade class found that Gaara was their age. The high schoolers found themselves stuck with Temari and Kankurou, who were in the sophomore and junior classes. _

_Naruto Uzumaki, a B-to-C average student with bright blonde hair and beautiful cerulean blue eyes was immediately magnetized to the new student, having something about he redhead striking his heart. He noticed right off the bat that the boy from Suna was lonely and hurt inside, very much like the blonde. But, Naruto noticed, Gaara did not show an ounce of it. He was very calm and very quiet, his light teal eyes taking everything in but giving nothing back. Naruto was curious about this other boy, wanting to know what made him seem so much like himself. _

_A rumor leaked out about said redhead, and Naruto wasn't sure to believe it or not; the rumor was that Gaara had been harassed by the other students as a child, and perhaps even by his own father. It was said that his mother had died, but no one knew how. Some say his father killed her, some say she died in an accident, other say she committed suicide. No one knew the truth, but Naruto knew one thing for sure: his own father and mother were both deceased, and as a child he too was harassed by everyone else. More of, he was ignored. No one wanted to get to know the troubled orphan, so they all kept their distance. _

_And it was for that reason that Naruto felt the strong pull towards the redhead: they shared similar pasts._

_It was not to be, though; the blonde soon found out that Gaara wanted nothing to do with him. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with anybody. He stayed his safe distance away and did his schoolwork flawlessly, never uttering a word._

_Except one day._

_One day, unbeknownst to the other 8th grade students as the anniversary of Gaara's mother death and his birthday, was the day things turned sour for the two alike boys. Gaara was scowling most of the day, bent out of shape for reasons no one knew. If someone was in his way, instead of his usual path around them, he would push them harshly into a wall or nearby locker, occasionally grunting a 'move aside'. Naruto noticed this, and was kind enough – if not foolish and naïve enough – to ask what was wrong._

_"Wrong?" Gaara spat lowly. "You want to know what's wrong? Who are you to care? Who are you to bother to accept my reason? No one. You don't care, and you won't bother. You just ask because I rammed into your pink-haired friend. Yes, I know who Sakura is; I see you with her and the raven-haired boy all the time. But it's because you're her friend that you ask 'what's wrong'; you just want to know so that you can beat me for hurting her. I know your type, Mr. Hero; I've seen it before. Everyone's your friend, everyone matters to you, and no one can touch them. But I did, and before you're angry enough to make me pay, you want to know why I did it."_

_No one has ever heard more than two sentences from the redhead, let alone a whole speech murmured angrily with hot breath right in their face. Naruto scowled and, like Gaara had predicted, punched him ruthlessly in the jaw with his right hook. _

_Gaara staggered backwards, spat out blood from accidentally biting his own tongue, and returned the punch with his own left hook. Leg connected with shin, fist connected with stomach, and so on until both boys sat panting. A teacher came about his time to interrupt their fight. _

_And it was from that day onward that the two boys hated one another._

_By sophomore year of Konoha High, everyone from Naruto's graduating class has been either paired off or split up, friends coming to just barely tolerating another or couples deciding to get together as more than just friends in the same herd._

_Because that's all they had become: herds, packs of friends. They were nearly in teams, always having each others' backs yet silently growing annoyed with one another. You had your separate friends from each that connected the teams, but otherwise it went like this: Neji Hyuuga, a junior with two sophomore friends, Rock Lee and TenTen; Kiba Inuzuka, friends with Neji's younger cousin Hinata and an odd boy named Shino; Naruto Uzumaki with Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha; and then the famous InoShikaChou, a band of three that have been friends since they were toddlers like their parents before them, consisting of Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chouji Akimichi. Each of these groups had small links between them, mostly crushes or something of the like. _

_Inertly, there was one more group, the three that had transferred from Suna a few years before: Temari, Kankurou, and Gaara. But Kankurou was already a senior by the time Gaara was a sophomore, and Temari was in college. Before they had been roughly related to one another, acting somewhat kindly and friendly. Temari was a bit protective of her youngest brother, as was Kankurou; but Gaara wouldn't have of it. It seemed as much as his siblings tried to reach out to him, the more he pushed them away. He didn't want anyone else, said he didn't need anyone else. The redhead just hid within himself, praying for the day he could leave school and live on his own. He was a good enough student; very bright, liked to read on occasion, and secretly wrote poetry. But he was distant if not a little shy, and whenever it was his birthday he was cruel. _

_But in that fateful sophomore year, a lot changed: Gaara decided to go out for Theatre, TenTen asked Neji out, Kiba confessed to Hinata that he's liked her for a long time (although Hinata said she wasn't sure because for lengthy amount of time she's liked someone else…), and Lee began to wonder if he was falling for the quiet redhead. Because, you see, Gaara – when out on stage, a script in hand – was someone completely different. He held a strong demeanor about him while he rehearsed words recorded in the past; he could act, really act, and showed it. On stage he lost his insecurities and became someone new, a character made up from someone else's mind. He raised his voice and cast it across the room, not in much need of a microphone. When he interacted with the other characters, he seemed like he was doing just fine… that is, until he had to touch them in some way or another. This made the director sadly cut his parts down to non-leading roles, because most roles called for a touch of the hand, an embrace, a kiss… none of which Gaara could seem to perform. Still, he was livelier when he was acting, and brought some people to acknowledge him. Like Lee, or a cheerleader named Matsuri. _

_Another change in the sophomore year came when Sasuke was about to transfer schools. It had been an abrupt decision by brother, who served as his guardian and secretly part of the Akatsuki gang, which was for high schoolers as well as college kids. "I know you've been refusing Sound Academy since your freshman year, brother, but I think you need to go; so I scheduled you in to join come March. It's a year-round boarding school, so don't worry, they're only just coming back from spring break. You won't miss a thing."_

_"But Itachi –"_

_"No," his older sibling had said. "I'm not changing my mind. You'll see, you'll love it there; it's a much better school than Konoha High, and someone with your talents deserves to go to a place like that." _

_So, the day before their own spring break, Sasuke decided to tell Naruto something. "What's up, Sasuke? You look more glum than usual," the blonde said in a chipper tone, poking fun at his friend._

_"Itachi is sending me to the Sound," he says dully. "And before I go, there's something I want you to know…"_

_"You're shitting me! You said you'd never go to the Sound Academy!"_

_"I know what I said. But I was thinking about it, and it might not be all that bad. Listen, there's something you have to know –"_

_"You can't leave me like this, Sasuke, I'm serious. We've been friends since we were seven! I'm going to give your brother a piece of my mind –"_

_"Naruto!" Sasuke barks, trying to get his irritated friend's attention. "I have something to tell you, dammit! I've been keeping it in for a while now, and since I'm leaving over break this is the only chance I have to tell you!"_

_The blonde shuts up, staring at the dark-eyed boy. "Tell me what?"_

_Before he can react, Naruto is dragged into a lip lock, which was Sasuke's way of saying, 'I love you, dobe'. _

_Their friendship was never the same after that._

_Luckily for them, they didn't even see each other again. But unluckily for Ino and Sakura, that also meant they never got to see Sasuke again, and both have been meaning to tell him how they feel. It was pointless now, because Naruto had told them what had happened, and both girls knew they were defeated; they can't tell him their feelings if they know he'll never return them, seeing as how the boy they like is **gay**. _

_Now, with all these complications typically forgotten over summer vacation, we come into junior year, where harsher complications arise... _


	3. Chapter 2: Faceless and Nameless Project

Chapter 2: The Faceless-and-Nameless Project

Naruto sat in third period Technology, a class he hardly thought he needed to take since he was already pretty skilled with computers. As long as their principal, Miss Tsunade, was in charge, they were going to have that class throughout their years of high school. However, the assistant principal, Miss Shizune, was constantly trying to comply with the students demands and have Tsunade be less tight-fisted in her choice of mandatory classes. The blonde woman hardly listened, though.

The student guide counselor, or what the kids called the 'school shrink' was also the technology teacher, and he believed in connection between peers. So he had a brilliant idea: why not propose to the school board a month-long assignment that will get these kids out of their cliques in into each other's hearts? It sounded a tad dorky, he realized, but it was worth a shot.

As luck would have it, the school board had been thinking a similar idea. With their thoughts and Iruka's combined, they came up with the Faceless-and-Nameless Project. It involved a few simple rules…

"One: you have to write to your e-mail pal for one month, which is four consecutive weeks. After that I will grade you on the number of e-mails you send and receive. If you decided to keep writing after that month period, that is entirely up to you.

"Two:" Iruka continued while he paced the front of the room, on looking his mass of students. "You have to keep your identity a secret for that first month. Don't leak out any information that could give you away. No initials as your penname, no use of middle names, no secret plots to meet up with your assigned partner. You may, however, express your age or year, and of 'course your gender. This is school-wide, so don't be surprised if you have a senior, sophomore, or freshman of some sort.

"Three: be sincere, be friendly, and try to open up. This program is like peer-tutoring, only in social and home-life standards instead of academics. We want you to have someone your own age that can relate to you and talk to you without being judged. You might find a new friend that you never thought you could be friends with. This program is experimental, mind you, but I have a feeling it'll work if you all put some effort into it. And to make sure you do, this will be considered fifty percent of your final grade for the semester."

Naruto, as well as most of the class, groaned at the mention of 'fifty percent'. That meant they actually have to talk to someone they don't know. _Great._

"Well then, you have about twenty minutes left of class; plenty of time to write your first letter. I expect all of you to have one sent by the end of the day today. I know who your partners are, so I can ask if they received any mail and vice versa. So please, don't put this off! You won't regret it!" he said cheerfully, passing out thin slips of pink paper. "Don't lose this, everyone; it's your corresponding e-mail address. Once you have it, go ahead and log into your e-mail account to compose a new message."

Naruto blew air out his mouth and rolled his eyes as he was handed the slip of paper.

Iruka observed this and winked at the blonde. "Don't worry, Uzumaki, it's not like Health class when you were assigned a baby and spouse. All I'm asking if for you to write an e-mail. Simple, right?"

Simple? Hardly. What was he supposed to say to the anonymous person? "Yeah, real simple," he mumbles, but the man is already at a different table handing out the addresses.

With a dejected sigh, Naruto glances down at the address in his hands. **CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com. **What a coincidence, they also used yahoo just like he did. Although this is not what Naruto noticed at first; what he noticed was how poetic yet sad the username was. His own e-mail address was much more cheery, if not a little cheesy. But 'catastrophic heart'? It was genius, not cheesy in the least, but terribly unhappy.

Again the blonde sighed and put his fingers to the keyboard, a blank message screen in front of him.

_From:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Faceless-and-Nameless thingy_

_Hey Catastrophic,_

_I'm sure you're aware of the project in technology. And guess what? I'm your assigned partner. I don't know about you, but I'm a junior and a guy. I guess I can't say much else until I get your response, since the rules tell us not to give too much away about ourselves. I gotta say, though, that your username confuses me. Mind explaining it to me in your next e-mail? Because either it's for show or there's something bugging you. Sorry if I sound intrusive, but Mr. Umino says this program is for us to get to know each other and talk about personal stuff without being judged and all that. And I don't know about you, but I kind of need the good grade in this class. So, uh, reply soon._

– _Call me Shippuuden (Hurricane)_

He was somewhat pleased with the Japanese nickname he had come up with for himself, since 'Kyuubi' or 'Kitsune' would give himself away; his adopted father was named Kyuubi, which is a relation to the ancient Japanese demon, the Nine-Tailed Fox; hence, either of those awesome-sounding Japanese words would just be a sign that read 'your new e-mail partner is Naruto Uzumaki!'. So in the end, when it came to pennames, he chose something at random he heard once in one of the subbed animes he watches online. That should be good enough for the person, whoever they were.

The bell rang six minutes after he had hit 'send', which was good enough for the blonde. fourth period was History, which Mr. Asuma Sarutobi taught, and he didn't want to get scolded for being late, especially if he was late from some stupid letter. This, luckily, had not become the case.

He arrived on time after a stop at his locker, taking a seat near the center of the back few rows of the bearded man's classroom. The room was always quiet and smelling vaguely of cigarette smoke whenever Naruto entered. It has a musty feel to it, what with all the thick, old books and maps lying around. It was more or less World History, because every year Asuma taught not only the historical events of their own country, but of the others across the globe. They touched up on how mankind has progressed throughout the centuries, and with a bored yawn Naruto tried to take a few notes in case Mr. Sarutobi decided to hand out one of his specialty pop quizzes.

By sheer chance this class had been one of the ones where no pop quiz was issued, and for that Naruto was grateful. The last thing he needed was another thorn of stress in his side today. _The retarded e-mail assignment had been enough,_ he thought to himself. The teacher wrote on the whiteboard a list of numbers from pages in the book which, Naruto copied onto a sticky note, were meant to write out the answers of questions for. The blonde hated bookwork, it meant he had to drag his history book to study hall and possible home. That was a feat in itself, since it was the heaviest book of them all. Grumpily he stood and pushed in his chair, walking out into the hall for fifth period lunch.

Maybe I should do some of those questions at lunch… A growling sound from below his chest interrupted his thoughts, though, and he decided against it. He needed food in his stomach, and he needed it now. So in one swift movement he unlocked his locker, set his books inside, and headed for the cafeteria. Kiba, Chouji, Shikamaru and Sakura all had his lunch period, so after spotting Sakura's easy-to-recognize bubblegum pink hair he walked over and took a seat.

"Did you guys have Technology yet?" Chouji was asking around bites of his favorite lunch snack, barbeque potato chips.

Kiba nodded to Naruto. "We did in third period. What a lame project! We have to write touchy-feely e-mail to people we don't even know."

"Well, Ino, Hinata and I thought it was a great idea! It'll get you boys to loosen up and us girls a chance to maybe find love," Sakura said lightly with a small sigh.

"'Finding love' my ass." Kiba retorted. "My assigned address e-mailed me first, so by the time I went to my e-mail I already had it in my inbox. I got some chick who's spazzy and overly eager to spill her heart out to me."

"You're just being that way because you're already dating Hinata," Sakura points out, but Kiba just pushes the fact aside.

"Whatever. I just know this is going to be one hell of a month for me unless I fail this project first."

"It's such a drag," Shikamaru is saying lowly. "I got some cocky girl who doesn't even want to type to me. She says she's just volunteering for the older set of the program, so I'm guessing she's college aged."

"But I thought you liked older girls?" Naruto pipes up, a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, but she seems like a real bitch."

Sakura laughs. "I bet she's not that bad you've only had one e-mail between each other! Give it time. Besides, this is a good chance to ask her questions about college stuff so that you can be prepared."

"Sakura, I'm only a junior; I don't want to be thinking about college yet." Shikamaru says with a sip of his Coke.

"Well, what about you, Naruto? Did you get a response from your e-pal yet?" Chouji asks casually, wiping his mouth of barbeque powder before tossing the chip bag into the trash near their table.

"No, I haven't; maybe they didn't have Technology yet. The latest period is going on right now."

"Hmm, that's true," Sakura nods. "Maybe you'll get one later, then."

Suddenly buzzing is heard, and Naruto stands sharply before reaching into the back pocket of his school uniform to pull out his cell phone. "One new e-mail," he says mostly to himself.

"Or he'll get one now," Kiba chuckles, ripping off a bite of his hamburger. "What's it say, Naruto?"

"I'm not telling you!" the blonde snaps. "These are supposed to be personal, right?"

"Right," Sakura says, backing him up. "So leave him alone, you guys."

"Fine," comes the unanimous reply.

Quickly glancing at it, Naruto sees the e-mail was in fact from CatastrophicHeart. It looked something like this:

_From:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Faceless-and-Nameless_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I'm going to be blunt with you: I really would rather not do this project to begin with. The teacher said I should be sincere, and that's sincerely my thoughts. But I have a reputation to uphold, so I'm willing to do whatever I can to keep a good grade in this class. But don't expect me to tell you anything I think is inappropriate. As for right now, I'll let you know that I'm a junior and male as well. I hope you weren't expecting some girl to cyber with. I know for a fact some guys would. _

_Regarding your statement on what my yahoo username means… it's simple, really: it's true. I won't deny that I've had some emotional hardships in my life. But then again, haven't we all? Still, I chose it because it was unique and fit me well. As far as your username goes… well, I don't need to ask if you like ramen. I bet you made that account when you were younger, didn't you? That, or you really don't have much creativity._

_I digress. I really am not here to insult you. In all honesty, I'm just saying whatever comes to mind so that I can get the hell out of this class and done with this assignment. It's not the type I usually enjoy. _

_Signed,  
Resshin (Earthquake)_

At first, Naruto didn't know whether or not to be offended or intrigued by this guy. He decided to be both. The blonde grit his teeth while hitting the 'reply' button on his phone; he just had to give this guy a piece of his mind. Oddly, he chose a natural disaster as his nickname just like Naruto had. Perhaps he was just stealing the blonde's idea, but either way it was a good nickname to choose.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura asks, cocking her head slightly.

"I'm replying to this guy," he mutters, and Shikamaru starts to crack up.

"You got a guy? That's great; it's a new friend for you, Naruto."

"By the look on his face, I doubt it," Kiba grins. While he wasn't looking, Chouji stole the dill pickle on his lunch tray. "Hey! Give that back, you little thief!"

In one hearty bite, half the pickle was gone. "Are you sure you want it back?"

"Uhg, no. But you own me another pickle."

While this insignificant dispute went on, Sakura leaned over close enough for Naruto to smell the shampoo she uses. His face tints pink while she whispers to him, "What are you going to say to him?"

He knew she meant his e-pal, but still he asks, "Say to who?" while pressing digits furiously on his cell.

She rolls her eyes. "Your assigned e-mail guy. What are you going to say?"

"Nothing much," he lies.

"Okay then," she says, but inwardly she wanted to rip the phone from his hands and take a look for herself. But Sakura resists, being the girl that she is.

In the meantime, Naruto was currently typing a response…

_From:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Re: Faceless-and-Nameless_

_Resshin,_

_Whoa, quite the opening e-mail there, buddy. If we're going to keep up being blunt, then might I say that I don't know whether or not to be offended or intrigued. You're obviously a smart guy by the way you talk and how you have this so-called 'reputation'. But you don't seem too bright in the 'being polite to others' category, do you? Didn't Mr. Umino say to 'be friendly'? But it's alright, because aside from my friends, I' used to being ignored. Especially when I was younger. So at least you cared enough – even if it was only for the grade – to reply. Thanks for that._

_You know, we should try a question game. I'll ask two and then you ask two, got it? Here's my two questions: What's your favorite color? What's your favorite band? _

_My favorite color is orange, and I like lots of bands, mostly of the rock genre. Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park, 30 Seconds To Mars, Skillet, Thousand Foot Krutch, P.O.D., the Used, Three Days Grace, Simple Plan, Blink-182 and Green Day are my top favs (in no real order). _

_Your turn._

– _Shippuuden_

He had to hit send when he got to his locker, because just as he had typed out '-uuden' the bell at lunch rang. Naruto proceeded to his locker, sent the message, got his books, and trudged to sixth period Chemistry (science) with Kakashi Hatake. In the front of the class in one of the black-topped chemical-resistant tables sat Gaara, whom Naruto tried not to look at. Their hatred since that fight has grown in the passed two years into the same ignoring, silently sizzling hate Suna and Konoha used to share. 'Used to' because now they have a sort of mutual alliance. On the other hand, Gaara and Naruto didn't.

This semester, however, Kakashi had decided to assign seats. Unfortunately for the two boys, they were forced to sit right across from one another in the front row. So Gaara was difficult to ignore and Naruto refused to scowl. So he settles for glaring sideways at the redhead. When he did, he saw in the boy's lap something black and silver; a cell phone. No, more specifically, a text, IM, and e-mail device. He watched with a confused frown at the boy secretly typed to someone on it, his face appearing calm and unfazed by whatever it was he was saying.

"Hey, sorry I'm late, class…" Kakashi says, a book covering his jaw. It seemed there was always something covering the man's mouth; a stack of papers, a collar of a shirt, a book or magazine, or an experiment for class that day. Also, he was always late. Nearly every day. _Late._ "…But I had to talk to Iruka. Apparently, my friend was able to actually convince the Board to let him go through with that e-mail idea! But just because it's for class doesn't mean I want to hear cellular phones going off, understand? And Gaara, don't even try to hide that you're fiddling with one in your lap. I won't punish you or anything because you're my top student, but next time keep it on the D.L., 'kay?"

Another thing about Mr. Hatake is that he sees everything. Some kids like to joke his scarred left eye has some sort of special power like Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter books, but the more reasonable students know that he's actually blind in that eyes due to an accident with his friend Obito (one of Sasuke's cousins) when he was younger.

Naruto watched as Gaara hit a button near the bottom of the tiny keypad before sliding the gadget shut and slipping it into his pocket. Because he knew about Kakashi's pet peeve of electronical devices, Naruto had left his own phone in his locker after lunch. Curiously, the blonde leaned over slightly in his chair to peer at Gaara's face. It was unreadable, but Naruto was pretty sure he had been replying to his e-pal for Iruka's class; who else would the redhead bother to type to other than his siblings? Of 'course, that was also a possibility, but Naruto doubted it.

"You see something you like?" Gaara said suddenly, making Naruto jump. _Is he talking to me…?_

"Er… no," Naruto says with a huff as he leans back and adjusts himself in his chair.

"Then don't stare; it's rude."

He frowns at the pale boy, about to come up with a really good comeback when Kakashi plops a stack of graded papers on his desk. His head jerks up and he looks up at his teacher. "Huh?"

"Pass these out, Uzumaki. Unless you rather have everyone wait until their next report cards to see their grade."

Multiple faces eye him, as if to say, 'Come on, Naruto, I want to know my grade'. "Oh, um, sure…" The very top paper, he noticed with a roll of his eyes, was Gaara's. A plus, **obviously.** "Here," he says lowly between clenched teeth. For the faintest fraction of a moment, their hands brushed at the knuckles when Naruto let go of the paper. The contact was small, but in that second Gaara's muscles tensed all over his body. As he walked away to give the next graded paper, Naruto puzzled over the redhead's reaction. _Does he hate me that much? He practically froze in place._

The blonde shrugged and continued to pass out papers while he listened to Kakashi rant about their new chapter in their Chemistry books. Something about creating this or that by mixing such and such. Naruto couldn't pronounce whatever it is the teacher had said. _Maybe that's how his hair turned white,_ the boy joked to himself. _Maybe he mixed the wrong things and got a radioactive reaction that made all the color drain from his hair!_ It was stupid, he knew, but his thoughts tended to wander in that direction whenever a teacher was lecturing. Usually, if he was sitting down, he would doodle.

He gave the last of the graded assignments to himself, which he noticed was automatically at the bottom of the pile. Kakashi must have known he was going to pick Naruto to pass these back…

Pretty soon things fell silent as they worked in class on some formulas for their upcoming experiment with the chemicals Kakashi had been ranting about. _Just two more periods,_ the blonde thought to himself. _Literature and study hall; then I'm out of here. _He was lucky to only have an eight-period school day. The failing and D-average percentage of the student body had to have nine- to ten-period days.

During Lit class, Naruto was slowly becoming more and more eager to check his e-mail. He wanted to know if that guy would be a little nicer this time around. Or if he even bothered to answer the two questions Naruto has asked. Or, actually, if the guy had even written back at **all**. As soon as the bell rang, Naruto was out the door in a blonde blur, his school uniform colors hardly visible as he raced to his locker. In three turns and one hard yank he had his locker open. Naruto collected the books he needed for homework to work on, as well as his iPod and cell phone. They allowed electronics in study hall because they know some students can't do homework without music. Naruto was one of those students; he needed something in the back of his mind to keep his minor case of A.D.D. occupied.

So with the music talents of Finger Eleven playing into his eardrums, Naruto sat down to take out his history book and cell phone. Before he could even sing the first verse of 'Easy Life', he found himself smirking into his textbook at what as flashing across his cell phone screen. _/one new mail message/_

He clicked 'OK' to read it's contents. It said:

_From:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Re: Re: Faceless-and-Name…_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_You're right, he did say to be friendly. But I'm not very good at that. I'll try for my grade's sake, though. And the fact that you were ignored seems wrong to me. I was noticed a little too well, and it cost me a few bruises if you know what I mean._

_That aside…_

_Favorite color? That's a very basic question. Does it really tell so much about a person to know their favorite color? If it does, then I suppose I could say my favorite color is dark blue. Some people, by looking at me, might guess black straight away, or even red. But ever since I was young I loved the night sky, so dark blue if my favorite color. _

_Music was actually clever to ask on your part; I'll have you know that I love music, and listen to quite a lot of different things. The bands you names are some of my favorites as well, specifically Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, 30 Seconds To Mars, and Skillet. But I really like Hawthorne Heights, Placebo, Muse, the Killers, and the Killswitch Engage. And – now, don't make fun – I really like Evanescence. Have you ever heard Amy Lee's voice before? Lots of guys don't appreciate her music because they think, since she's a woman, her music is girly. But that's hardly the case. My sister was the one who introduced me to their music, and if you haven't already I think you should do the same. It would do your musical pallet good to try something new._

_Other bands I listen to from time to time are Finger Eleven, Foo Fighters, and Incubus. When I was younger I liked Good Charlotte and U2, and U2 I still do like to hear every so often. _

_Now I suppose I get to ask the questions. Let's see…_

_What are your favorite movies? What do you do in your spare time? As for me, I like Tim Burton films. In my spare time, I write poetry and if I feel like it, lyrics._

_Signed,  
Resshin_

Naruto was sitting straight up in his chair, his cell phone open in his hands. 'Falling On' was now playing through his head, but he was hardly paying attention to the lyrics or sound of the guitar and drums anymore. This guy was kind of cool, even if he was blunt and a tad unsure about things. And he liked a lot of the things Naruto did. And according to what he had said earlier about his mysterious username, he had felt some pain when he was growing up just like Naruto had, only in a more physical manner.

He set down his pencil and closed his book shut, at the moment too intent on replying to the e-mail. He tucked some blonde hair behind one ear before writing with his fingers:

_From:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Re: Re: Re: Faceless-and…_

_Resshin,_

_Man, I'm sorry to hear about the 'bruises' thing. Makes sense why you're not too friendly; you had some problems growing up. I can understand that. If I say too much you might know who I am, but I can at least say my mom isn't, er, with me anymore. And let me tell you, that hurt like hell, like a shot to my heart. She had died in car accident; well, a car/motorcycle accident, because my mom rode a Yamaha. She wasn't your average mom, that's for sure. But that's why I loved her so much… she was tough but kind. _

_You know, I've checked out Evanescence before, and I'll admit she has a really gorgeous voice. In her older stuff everything is kind of slow, but her Fallen CD is full of all kind of hard rock. And some of the songs from Origin were a little creepy in a really cool way. I like their stuff but I didn't say anything about it because I thought it would've made me sound too… 'soft'. Not that I'm a super tough guy or anything, but I unfortunately care what other people think half the time. Especially new people I meet. I want to make an okay impression, you know? But yeah, I forgot to mention some bands; like Finger Eleven? Coincidentally, I was listening to them when I checked my e-mail just now!_

_Movies, you say? I really like those Pirates of the Caribbean ones. And anime ones. Tim Burton films are cool, especially the musicals. When I was really little, The Nightmare Before Christmas was something I watched every Halloween and sang along with. Totally dorky, right? But hey, I was just a kid. I had an excuse. _

_As for my spare time… meh, I usually do shit. My dad (who's not really my dad) says I need a hobby. "Like what?" I always ask. He usually mentions a sport, or fishing or hunting, or something like that. But I don't know; none of it sounds that appealing to me. I used to play basketball, but not in the school team, just by myself or with some friends. I'm not that good, though, so I just never picked it up. So as far as spare time goes, I guess I could say I take walks. I walk all over the place: in the forest, down by the river, in the hiking trails or through my neighborhood. I like to walk and listen to music or think. Mostly the music, though. I don't have much to think about, heh heh. _

_Okay, I got some deeper questions for you: Are your parents divorced or anything? And could you send me a poem? I want to know what you write about. _

– _Shippuuden_

The blonde smirked to himself at his lengthy letter and sent it. He glanced at the clock, though, and cursed himself. He had spent nearly half an hour on one e-mail?! What only gave him fifteen more minutes until school lets out to finish up some homework!

With sudden determination, he cranked his iPod up and played 'Hemorrhage (In My Hands)' by Fuel as he surfed through his history book for those questions. Ah, there they were. Now, let's see what they say… _Oh, these are really easy. I took some notes on this stuff in class,_ Naruto thinks brightly. He grins and finishes all his history homework by the time dismissal came around. Sure, he still had math homework from second period to complete, and one or two formulas from Chemistry, but other than that he was home free.


	4. Chapter 3: To Retread One’s Steps

Chapter 3: To Retread One's Steps

Kankurou wasn't home when Gaara walked in the door; but why would he be? He was never home anyway. He was always out working or drinking with friends. His brother was a bit too reckless for Gaara's taste, and it irked him. Idly, he set his backpack down on his bed. His homework was always finished by study hall at the end of the school day.

Like in his usual afternoon ritual, Gaara shed his school uniform and donned a tee shirt and some black jeans, his clothing of choice. He hated that, despite (technically) being in a public school, he had to wear a uniform. It helped him blend in to an extent, but he's much more comfortable in cotton and denim.

The redhead sighed to himself through his nose, gently letting his guard down. He was safe enough in his own empty home to let some emotion leak through. So, bit by bit, he slumped onto his bed, his fingers becoming knotted in his hair. He scrubbed his scalp furiously, trying to let all the stress out. It was so hard to keep a wall in front of himself everyday, so hard to not let anybody inside, so hard to be civil to everyone else. The most difficult thing, though, was trying not to cry; especially on his birthday.

No one knew this, but each year that he got older Gaara was both relieved and in grief. His father, throughout his whole life, never let him forget that it was his fault that he had no mother. "She died because of you. Because you were born, you tore part of her they wouldn't seal up fast enough, and she bled to death. You killed my wife; you killed your own mother."

It was a contorted, morbid mantra that his father repeated while slugging down five or six beers on said anniversary. Coupled with a slap or punch or two, his father never let him forget this fact. And this was why Gaara hated his father, and couldn't wait to be legally allowed to live on his own; this is why his birthday was a relief.

Stiffly, Gaara stood and arched his back, stretching out his limbs. He rubbed his temples and his brows, which actually had no hair on them because of how he was born. "Complicated," the doctor had said when red hair peeked out of the oven. "His health is complicated. He's small enough to be premature, yet he's late. How did that happen? It's so complicated…"

There was a pause in his movements as he wondered what to do next. The feeling of a void in his abdomen told him that he should probably eat something, seeing as how his lunch had been merely an apple. Shrugging to himself, Gaara headed for the kitchen. While making a sandwich, the sound of a motorcycle pulling into the driveway put Gaara into alert. His stony face reappeared and he waited for the noise of jingling house keys in the lock.

"I'm home, Gaara," Kankurou says in a chipper tone. For once, he was sober.

"Welcome home," was the reply, although it came out the opposite of welcoming.

"Now is that any way to treat the man that got you away from Dad?" the brunette questions, reaching into the refrigerator for a Red Bull. A he popped the can open and slurped some of the energy drink, wiping his mouth lazily at the end. "'Sides, I got some news I think you might want to hear, bro."

"Do tell," the redhead says nonchalantly, licking the edge of the butter knife he used for the mayonnaise of his sandwich after he had cut it diagonally.

The brunette smirks, absentmindedly twisting one of his new ear piercings. "I've decided to go to college like Temari. I mean, I won't get into a good one like she had, but I figure the community college is as good as any for me. But all the money I've been saving means I can't support you by myself; you'll have to get a job. I mean, yeah, I can help pay for the house since dorms at the KCC are free as long as you stick to the school all three years, and the car is already paid for, but… I can't be, you know, buying food or necessities for you anymore. You'll have to pay for stuff like that by yourself."

Gaara's face fell, the perfect example of 'you're screwing with me, right?'

"I'm being honest here, bro." Kankurou says with a wincing grin, reading the redhead's facial expression. "But hey, at least you can live by yourself now. I even checked the legal records; as long as you're seventeen or older, you can live by yourself as long as you have contacts to a nearby relative; that'd be me."

"So you've thought this through; I'm impressed."

"Your sarcasm never helps the situation, Gaara."

"I can at least pretend it does," he scowled, pushing passed his older brother and heading for his room up the stairs.

"Hey, hold it now!" the brunette chuckles. "You don't get to run off and sulk this time. I just told you some big news, so we need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about; you've said all there is to say. Now, if you please, I want to eat in peace."

Kankurou let go of his brother's arm, but not before Gaara had ripped it from his grip. The brunette sighed, watching his younger sibling trudge up the stairs._ Why does he have to be so infuriating? I'm just trying to help our broken situation. It's what he wants, right?_

In reality, Gaara didn't know what he wanted. He thought he used to know, but maybe that had all been a charade he put up to protect himself. Possibly the only thing he wanted was something stable, especially a relationship. He had no friends, he hardly called his siblings family, and never once had he stopped to think about a girlfriend or boyfriend. Actually, he had no idea which he preferred: girls or boys. Gaara never had the chance to figure it out. Neither seemed very attractive most of the time and for the rest of the time he was never very close physically or emotionally to see if he liked any aspects of someone.

But all this didn't really matter. It didn't matter because Gaara was never going to have what he wanted, since a majority of his peers hated/feared him and as much as his brother tries, he'll never really be family. It was times like these that Gaara missed Temari; she had been the closest thing to family, to a mother, to a real big sister. He could almost say he liked her, but never once had he said that he loved her. None of them had said it to one another, although the eldest blonde had tried. "Kankurou, Gaara, I really lo–" But in that moment the redhead and stiffened and shrunk back from the hand she put on each of her brothers' shoulders. At the time, she had looked defeated and took her hands away. "I'm sorry; never mind."

The truth was, Gaara was afraid to hear the end of that sentence, or the rest of the word. She would have said, "Kankurou, Gaara, I really love you two; you know that, right?" but she never got passed 'lo'.

Ironically, that exact word – 'love' – was written in the kanji character for it above Gaara's left eye, a tattoo he went to the parlor to get done when he was fourteen and very, very drunk. They don't allow you to get tattoos when intoxicated, but a few years back the law was new and the guy who wrote it in red ink for him didn't give a rat's tail whether or not the fourteen-year-old was drunk. To hide the embarrassingly ironic word, Gaara had worn a hat to school for a long time until his bangs grew out long enough to keep it hidden. Now his bangs came down in a sort of triangle over one eye, specifically his left.

Gaara sat himself down at his laptop, his right hand drifting over to the mouse plugged into said computer. On his left he set down the plate of food, having only taken a bite out of it so far. Flipping open the top, Gaara waited as it woke up from sleep mode before typing in his password and logging on. The first thing he did was scroll over and click the Yahoo! Mail icon on his desktop, excepting another letter from that persistent new e-pal of his.

Sure enough, there was a rather long letter waiting for him. "Tch. With all the replies he keeps giving me, I'll definitely get a good grade. But he's so annoying; this is, what, our fifth message today or something ridiculous? He better not keep this up for the rest of the month or I swear I'll go insane."

After reading the e-mail, however, Gaara was willing to respond. Hurricane's second question was a tad flattering, asking for one of his poetry works.

_From:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ In reply to what you said._

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I'm sorry to hear about your mother; I can empathize, because my own mother is dead. Unlike you, I never got a chance to get to know her; she died after giving birth to me. I'm not sure if that information gives me away or not, but it's the truth. _

_I agree with your father 'who's not really your father'; you sound like you do need a hobby. Walking hardly counts, although that's at least something. 'Don't have much to think about'? Do you realize how incredibly moronic that makes you sound? Almost makes me want to crack a smile. _

_Obviously my parents are not divorced; I just wrote above what happened to my mother. As for my father, well, my brother and I live apart from him. You could say we "divorced" our old man. I won't sugarcoat it; he's no good. I have no idea how you feel about your parental unit, but as for my own… I hate his guts. Harsh, I know, but if you only knew…_

_Regarding your last question: I dug up a couple that I like. I don't care if you comment on either of them, but they're there since you asked._

_Questions: Why do you want to know what I write about? Why do you keep writing back so quickly?_

_Signed,  
Resshin_

_**Attachments:**__Monster__, __October Disease_

Both were older poems Gaara had made when he was a freshman, and both were short and full of hidden meaning; not that his e-pal would understand. The attachments, when opened, looked like this:

_/__Monster_

_It crept up with silent chills  
Hung in the air like a sour ghost  
It wished to capture me, to take in my thrills  
It wanted me above all else, desired me most_

_It was nothing of the sort  
That could kill and not hurt  
But instead  
It slowly fed  
Sending waves of pain until you were dead._

_This monster is not of my dreams  
This monster is real, it seems_

_It has a name I dare not say  
But it fears the light of day  
So in the sun I will cower  
Until it goes down come next hour_

_I must kill it  
Before it kills me  
I just hope you speak not it's name  
Else it would be set free  
Ready to play with me a game.../ _

_/__October Disease_

_Know that this is only the beginning  
As I sit here alone  
Touching the burn I cannot feel  
From the pain you left me with_

_No one will recall  
those remains of a sordid twist of fate  
But it feels more like to me  
That a freight train has come our way_

_But before the dawn breaks through  
I have something to tell you  
But if only I could speak  
What was hurting me_

_This time  
It'll remain  
A complete imperfection/_

After checking over his poems, he grew unsure if he should send them or not. As much as he didn't want to be, he was vaguely worried what the recipient would think. In the end, Gaara simply hit send and hoped for the best. In the meantime, he had some manga to read online. Currently, he had been reading D. Gray Man…

After about an hour, a message popped up at the bottom of Gaara's screen, and he frowned at it. "You've got mail," he snorted, clicking on the tiny box. A new window opened up in Internet Explorer, automatically directing itself to Gaara's yahoo account. Not surprisingly, his inbox was in bold and had the number one written in parenthesis beside it. "Please let it be from Temari and not that… oh, it is from Temari," he says in shock.

_From:__ YourBiggestFAN(at)hotmail(dot)com  
__To:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Checking in_

_How's my baby brother?_

_I know I know, you hate it when I call you that, but Kankurou called not too long ago telling me what he has planned. You're going to be living all by yourself! I don't know if I should be happy for you or scared shitless. At the moment, I'm leaning towards 'scared shitless'. Stay safe when Kankurou moves out, okay? If anything happened to you I don't know what I'd do. I'm still your sister, like it or not, and I still care about you._

_Oi vey, I signed up for that ridiculous Faceless-and-Nameless thing. They were doing it for extra credit in Psych 101, and I need the EC so I decided to go for it. I got some guy in your grade who called just about everything in his e-mail either troublesome, a drag, pointless, or stupid. He's really annoying, but in order to pass and get full EC I have to send at least thirty e-mails to him, one for each day of the month. How many he sends back don't matter, but come on… thirty e-mails? That's insane. You know how much I hate sitting at the computer, and now I have to do it every day for a month._

_Speaking of which, you should've gotten your e-pal today as well. Any guesses yet on who it is? On second thought, have you even e-mailed them? Oh! Is it a girl? I'd love it if it was a girl, because then you can suffer along with me. I'm pulling your leg, Gaara, of 'course I don't want you to suffer like that. You've had enough, we all have._

_I talked to Dad today. He had to have his stomach pumped again last weekend. Is he trying to kill himself? Sometimes I wonder if I'd even cry if he did. I know you wouldn't. Kankurou probably wouldn't, either. _

_Anyway, I have to go, Gaara. But I'll call you tomorrow, okay? And please pick up this time; the answering machine always make me want to cry since Dad never erased mom's voice from it, and Kankurou never bothered to trash the old thing. _

_Your sister,  
Temari_

_P.S. Don't forget to take your medicine. _

"It's always the same," Gaara sighs. When he said that he meant how she reminds him to take his medicine. Also, he meant how she always asks to not hang up when she wants to talk to him about things he really doesn't want to talk about. Like school, or new crushes, or the new play the Theatre had in production. He didn't want to talk about anything period, but she always managed to get him to say something or another. Temari is very… 'persuasive', you might say. "Exasperating is more like it," Gaara adds aloud.

You're probably wondering what medication Gaara needs. You see, the redhead had to take antidepressants, namely Wellbutrin. It increases the amounts of the neurotransmitters 'norepinephrine' and 'dopamine' in the brain, which is fancy talk for helping Gaara with the chemicals in his head that made him express the symptoms of depression. They help him function better, in a matter of speaking. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately?), this was the only form of antidepressant that gave Gaara the least amount of side effects, since he's been subscribed to others beforehand that made him more or less ill. In this case, Wellbutrin made him the least ill with only two side effects: insomnia and occasional loss of appetite. He's been on these "happy pills" (as Kankurou likes to call them) for a few years now, ever since the end of eighth grade. Because of his small meals due to lack of appetite, he's grown thin and slender like a girl, although clearly less curvy. Also, he had bruises around his eyes from the lack of sleep, but he covers the rings day to day with layers of black eyeliner.

With a sigh, Gaara debated if he would e-mail Temari back or wait until she called. He decided that it was best to wait until she called, because she'll doubtless recap all of what the letter had to say just in case Gaara never read it. That's how things went with his sister.

Gaara clicked on iTunes and scrolled through the songs on his 'favorites' playlist, looking for something to listen to mindlessly in the background while he surfed the net. He even checked his Live Journal to see if anyone commented on his lyrics. There were one or two new ones on 3 of his songs, but otherwise nothing. All the comments, thankfully, were of praise. One specific comment read: /omg, I luv this so much, I'm so jealous of ur skillz/ Obviously written by a girl, and one who had no talent since she said she was envious, not to mention she doesn't even bother to type correctly. But still, a compliment is a compliment; no matter who writes it.

Out of the blue another 'you've got mail' box pops up at the bottom corner of Gaara's screen. He blinks at it, almost forgetting that he had a new e-pal that loved to write back. He clicks the box and goes to the message, instantly noticing the subject title.

_From:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To:__ CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ WOW!!_

_Damn, talk about your 'earthquakes'…_

'_Cause you handed me a lot of sad shit. I don't even know what to say about your mom, and hey, was that an insult to my IQ?! I should be mad at you! But I'm not because I liked your poems._

_Seriously, Resshin, you poetry is really good. I'd like them a little longer because they were so interesting that I didn't want them to end just yet; but, you know, they left off where they should have. 'Monster' gave me the chills in a really good way, if that's possible. It reminded me of something vaguely, but I can't put my finger on it… _

_And that 'October Disease' one… wow. I never thought someone could words like that together, really; the phrases were so different from one another, yet they fit. It's amazing. You have to send me more sometime! I dunno why, but I've always liked poetry. I don't read it that much but whenever I find a really good poem, sometimes I'll copy it down in a book somewhere to read later. That sounds completely weird, I know. Don' make fun of me for that, please. But jeez… when you said you wrote poetry, no offense, but I was thinking cheesy rap-like rhymes that a lot of people write these days. I was utterly wrong, and I'm glad for that._

_Um, as for your questions… see, I wanted to know what you wrote about because I was curious. More specifically, I was curious about you. I kind of want to cheat and figure out who you are, but at the same time I don't because only on the internet do you see the side of a person no one else sees at school. Don't even try to deny that, because I know it's true from my own experiences. And for your second question: pretty much the same reason, although I write back so quickly because I like to. When someone says something, be it on the net or in person, I don't hesitate to reply. It's just who I am. _

_Hmm, that might give my identity away. But I doubt it. There are a lot of talkative juniors, right? I think I'm safe. _

…_My letters just keep getting longer, don't they? Sorry about that. I'll shut up now; I won't even ask any more questions; at least not for today. Dinner will be ready soon (we eat early on weekdays) and afterwards I have to finish up my homework. So I'll talk to you tomorrow, 'kay?_

– _Shippuuden_

Gaara stared at the screen for a few minutes, a frown slowly growing. This guy was acting like they were already friends after a mere handful of e-mails. Who did this guy think he was? The redhead wasn't used to such treatment, someone being oddly friendly for longer than just one comment on his lyrics or journal entries on the internet. He also wasn't used to someone praising his poetry so highly, especially his undersized works of the past. The way he sounded, Hurricane didn't expect Gaara to write back that day. Truth be told, he wasn't planning on it anyway. There wasn't much to say to something like that.

The teen looked over at the remains of his sandwich, which were just crumbs and a bite or two of bread crusts. He stood form his desk chair and took the plate in hand, planning on going downstairs for a glass of milk and his antidepressants. It was about time to take them, really, and he was thirsty. So he left the laptop humming softly to itself, sneaking down the stairs to the kitchen.

Kankurou was in the living room watching TV, most likely Comedy Central (it was his favorite channel). That, or Myth Busters on Discovery; it was one of the older boy's guilty pleasures. Gaara recognized Adam Savage's voice, so it must be Myth Busters. He didn't care to check what myth they were testing; it wasn't a show he watched. Essentially, Gaara didn't watch television. If he wanted to watch something, there was always youtube. Moreover, he didn't like sitting in one place for too long, not even the computer. Temari blamed his medication for the sense of restlessness, but Gaara thinks that's just how he is: restless. Although Kankurou liked to tease him by changing that word to 'reckless' since Gaara hardly did anything at all. It was the irony of the changed term Kankurou thought did the most teasing and not necessarily the label itself. Which was correct; the redhead resented being called 'reckless', because he knew it obscured that he was cautious. In a sense, yes, he was very cautious; cautious not to be hurt, cautious not to get too personal with anybody, cautious not to shed a single tear. So what if the irony was dead on? So what if he was cautious? He had to be. Gaara had to be…

Speaking of being cautious, Gaara wasn't so sure he was doing a good job of that with his assigned e-pal. The teacher had said they never had to know who they had as a partner in this project; he had said they could be no one for the rest of their lives if that was the case. "In some cases," Iruka Umino had told them, "All the secrets you might spill to them might be too important to let leak out, so if neither of you tell each other who you are, you can stay safe from the school's rumor weed. I actually hope something like that happens, because with the society we live in between here and Sunagakure, there are a lot of issues at home and buried inside I know a few of you wouldn't mind sharing with someone. And what better than someone anonymous?"

There are plenty things better. Like writing in a diary or seeing a professional psychiatrist. Gaara still didn't like either, nor did he like talking to a peer about his problems, and yet… yet he is. With this cheery, ditzy boy his age he didn't even know he was giving out information he never had before. And, it seemed, the other was doing the same. But why? Why did they think they could trust one another? Is it because they didn't know a face and name? Is that what high school does to you? Does it make you not trust anyone just because they have a familiar face and name you've seen and heard before?

_I thought familiarity bred contempt,_ the redhead thought as he swallowed his pills alongside a large gulp of milk. _Apparently, it does so long as you're familiar with only a face, a name, and a clique. After that, you don't need to know a persona any more to disapprove of them or distrust them. So maybe that's why Shippuuden and I feel safe with each other: we aren't familiar in that way, but are slowly gaining familiarity in other ways. But are these new ways any different, or any better? Will the end of the month bring me a Faceless-and-Nameless companion? I dislike that thought. _

He disliked it because it was still a companion of sorts; still someone, if they got too close, who could impair Gaara. He's been down that road before, and he did not want to retread his steps. The name 'Yashamaru' came to mind, an uncle – almost twin (in looks) of his mother – who had been kind and nice for a while before attacking and betraying Gaara's trust. In what way, I cannot say; it's a story Gaara didn't like to bring back up to the front of his mind. That was one skeleton which would stay in the closet for perhaps forever.

The sky was dark, barely a rim of lightened blue left on the western horizon, and the air was cool. Perfect. "I'm taking my bicycle out for a few laps," Gaara announced from the doorway of the kitchen, his arms folded over his chest. Kankurou looks over his shoulder at the redhead, his dark brown eyes focusing on light teal.

"Um… okay. I was just going to make a pizza for dinner, anyhow. Don't stay out too late…?"

It sounded like he was unsure, as if he didn't want to order his younger brother around. "I'll be just fine," Gaara reassures, nodding once in Kankurou's direction. And then he was out the door, ready for the crisp night to take his thoughts away.


	5. Chapter 4: Glimpse

Chapter 4: Glimpse

"I feel extremely uncomfortable right now," Naruto muttered as he held the steering wheel of one of his adoptive father's cars. "Can't this wait?"

"No," Kyuubi snapped. "I can't believe my son failed Driver's Ed. his sophomore year. You're a junior now! You have to know how to drive!"

"But…" he said shakily, gripping the wheel tighter. The engine was humming in the lime green sports car, a 2009 Nissan Altima. But the car was still in 'park'.

Kyuubi rolls his red-brown eyes, and adjusted the collar of his shirt. The man had flaming orange hair with natural russet highlights, his eyes a peculiar brown that looked red in the right light. He was somewhat tall, standing in at about five foot eleven inches, but far from being six feet. He was intimidating in a cruel way, his canine teeth – and ironically Naruto's as well – being slightly longer than normal humans. In Kyuubi's case, it gave him a fox-like aura, and the man was just as tricky. He was a businessman and very good at his job, always manipulating people and making more money than he should. Because of how good he was at his job, Kyuubi didn't come home until late most weekdays. This left Naruto home alone half the time, despite the fact that he still needed a legal guardian.

Ever since his mother died in a car crash, the blonde has been weary of such vehicles. This is why he failed Driver's Education the previous year when he was a freshly-turned sixteen. He had ditched the class on the days they had to practice outside in the run down student car with the teacher riding shotgun. Even now, he was afraid to put it in 'drive' and pull out of the driveway… not that his fear was for himself getting in an accident, but for him to cause one. It had been a small Chevy 4x4, forest green, which had hit his mother's bike. The court even proved, and the driver of the truck had confessed, that the rider of the motorbike was not at all at fault for the accident. The owner of the Chevy had thought he was fine to drive, but in truth he had been slightly intoxicated. At least, intoxicated enough not to get behind the wheel. Yet he had, and here Naruto stood with no mother. as for his birth father? He had died in one of the wars. It had been their three-year anniversary of marriage, baby on the way, when Kushina had gotten the letter from the government. So there went parent number one, and years later number two went as well.

Now Naruto was forced to face his fear of cars just to learn how to drive from a man that had hardly any relation to him; he was his mother's half-brother, both having the same father but different moms. They looked a little alike, though, with their hair color. Naruto's mother had had strawberry blonde hair, smooth as silk, and just as long. She wasn't very girly, but she had been gorgeous, the envy of every mother. Her hair was not nearly as orange as Kyuubi's, but it was close enough. They eyes were completely different, though, as were their jaw bones. But they had the same high cheeks and delicate noses, a feature they gained from their father; he was one grandparent Naruto never got to meet. He had died from cancer before Kushina was even out of high school (he had been a chain smoker, mostly of cigars).

So that was Naruto's background in lamest terms, although it was left out how much Naruto resembles his birth father, Minato; they were nearly identical, although the teen's eyes were a tad lighter of blue and a different shape, more like his mother's eyes. Other than this, he looked just like his deceased parent. Although, when Naruto had been young (about four years old) and at a zoo, a lioness had reached through the bars of her cage when Naruto was leaning back against it, scratching three long lines down both his cheeks. His mother had went into shock from all the blood (she was a little squeamish) and had called desperately for an ambulance. The cuts didn't run too deep, but beep enough to leave long, perfectly straight scars for probably the rest of Naruto's life. In retrospect, he shouldn't have held that hot dog so close to his mouth, and near a cage of a meat-eater.…

"Focus, nephew," Kyuubi instructed. "I know my li'le sis passed away because of one of these things, but let's face it: you have to know how to drive at some point in your life. You can't hide behind her death forever, you know!"

If he had resorted to calling him 'nephew', Naruto knew Kyuubi was being serious; usually he called him 'son' or purred his name fondly into two syllables, or beckoned to him with two fingers. Kyuubi was kind this way, no matter how cruel he could be otherwise. He cared a lot about his kin. "I can't focus with you breathing down my neck, _Dad_," Naruto hissed under clenched teeth, but he wasn't angry; he was just trying not to let his jaw chatter. It wasn't cold in the car (the heat was blowing dimly), but still he felt like shivering.

Kyuubi sighed. "Just put the damn thing in drive. We aren't going to sit here like a couple of ducks in a pond all fucking day."

Oh no, he was mad; he had dropped the f-bomb. Naruto realized he really should be following orders unless he wanted to be severely grounded (since Kyuubi never hit his own. He'd smack other people around if they didn't do what he liked when he wanted, but never once had he laid a hand on his family). "Okay, okay, I'm on it…"

Naruto reached for the tiny knob that was between him and his uncle, yanking it down a few clicks until it was in drive; he didn't need to go into reverse since they were facing the street. It was a clear shot to just ease out of the driveway, turn, and head into town… he can do this, he can do this…

"Good, Naru-to, good…" the fox-like man purrs, leaning back into the seat. "Now, stop at the sign, wait for those two cars to go first, and continue to the grocery store; we might as well get some food while we're out. I know you need more ramen," he adds, trying to give the teen some motivation. It worked.

"You don't need to tell me twice," the blonde smiles, though it was mostly forced. The two cars ahead of him at the controlled intersection drove passed and away, and Naruto eased out, pulling forward towards the center of Konoha.

"You're good at this when you're not freaking out," Kyuubi snickers, mocking his half-nephew.

"When I'm not freaking out, I can do just about anything," Naruto retorts.

"I think that goes for everyone."

Out of the corner of his eye, the blonde caught a glimpse of bright red hair on a bicycle, gliding down the sidewalk. The brightness of the day made it clear who it was, and inwardly Naruto scowled. "Gaara," he said to himself, although it came out more snarling than spoken.

"Is that some punk you don't like?" Kyuubi asks, feeling the need to smirk and comment on the teen's snarl.

"Let's just say he and I had a boxing match back in eighth grade," Naruto replies, taking a left turn around a curb. Gaara went down the opposing curb behind them and Naruto was grateful to see his retreating pedaling in the rearview mirror.

"Ooh, sounds tedious. Did you kick his ass?"

"It was a draw. The teacher stopped us."

"But surely one of you had more injury than the other…"

"Nope. We were an even match."

"Talk about disappointing! Someone of my blood should be as tough as nails, beating the shit out of everyone they come across!"

"Hey, Kyuubi, I'm not perfect, okay? Besides, it was a few years ago…" Naruto says in his defense, driving up into the parking lot of the grocery store.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." The man says with the wave of a hand. "Sorry."

Naruto shrugs, parking the car in a easy-to-reach place. "There, I drove. Now let's get my ramen and leave."

Kyuubi grins as he slams the car door shut. "Well now, aren't you Mr. Task-mode? But we need things other than ramen, so hang tight. Oh, and you're driving back, son; you ain't off the hook yet."

"Great. Can't you just let me take the test, get me my license, and then forget all about driving for a while?" The blonde whines, waking across the lot to the glass doors. Kyuubi strolls in, his long strides keeping him always in front of the teen. Naruto rolls his eyes and jogs to get back up to his adopted father.

"No can do, Naru-to. You know the rules."

"Yeah, but sometimes I'd rather not follow them," he whispers to himself. "Sometimes it's easier to cheat and cut the corners. 'Bending the law'…"

"Stop talking to yourself," Kyuubi laughs, ruffling the boy's golden locks. "Now, help me get a cart and pick out some veggies for dinner this week."

"I hate veggies," Naruto complains, snatching a metal cart from one of the six chains of them.

The businessman winks. "But they're good for you!"

"They taste like dirt." Naruto offers.

"Only the ones that grow in the dirt." Kyuubi compromises.

The blonde tries again. "Then they taste like grass."

But again, the middle-aged man counters: "Only the ones that look like grass."

"Uhg, stop it!"

"If you stop, maybe I will."

"Gah! You're infuriating, do you know that?"

Kyuubi laughs again and dumps a bag of apples into the cart. "And that's why I always get what I want in the real world, son."

"I guess I get my unrelenting demeanor from you, then," Naruto grins.

"Me and your mother; your grandfather was the same way, if not more so."

"Heh, then I guess I have something to look forward to."

"And what's that?" Kyuubi inquires, putting a loaf of bread into the cart.

"Being AA."

"Being 'an alcoholic'?" the fox-like man jokes.

"No, silly. Being 'absolutely annoying'."

"Ah," he nods. "So you figured out my secret."

"It wasn't very hard."

"Shut up and go find me a jug of orange juice," Kyuubi nudges, and Naruto rolls his eyes again. Inwardly, though, he liked having these spats with his uncle; it was a lot of fun, and it's the only thing that kept them from drifting apart like most other teens do with their parental figureheads at this age.

On his way down the line of refrigerators, Naruto's thoughts drifted in the minimal noise of the store; his thoughts always did that when things were too quiet, which is part of the reason why he's so talkative in school. Otherwise his thoughts go to… well, things like: the kids at school, people he hates, people he likes, crushes, friends, teachers, assignments, disturbing childhood memories, a funny video he found on youtube, something he's read… stuff of that nature; completely random.

In this set of thoughts, Naruto found himself thinking about his e-pal and the great poetry the guy showed him. Sure, Naruto had asked and that's the only reason Earthquake bothered to send him any of his poetry, but still… it was a start. Truth be told, Naruto wanted to make friends with this guy; he was certainly interesting enough. "I wonder what he's really like." Naruto thought aloud. "I wonder if he acts the same in public that he does on the internet..."

The blonde knew for a fact he acted the same; he was always talkative, always asking questions, always trying to see the silver lining in the cloudy sky and skip the most tender of topics. Naruto was a considerate person, if not a little slow on the intake at times. But even he knew how to avoid touchy subjects and laugh things off. He knew when to stop.

He didn't know when to start again, though; in this case, he figured his assigned e-pal wasn't the type to e-mail first, so if he wanted to talk to the guy today and get a fair enough grade, he'd have to send the new e-mail this afternoon. Naruto just hoped Resshin would reply immediately after receiving the letter.

Concerning which, Naruto was already thinking of what to say to Resshin when he got home. Maybe he should tell him about his driving experience… or would that give him away? There is one or two other kids who failed driver's education the previous year and still don't have a license, but the numbers are few, which means it might narrow it down for Naruto's e-pal to figure him out. Which might be bad. Will you get points off if you figure out who your mysterious partner is within the month? That'd be a good question to remember to ask for the next Technology class…

"Here's that OJ, Dad," the blonde said when he found his guardian a few aisles over. "I also got some yogurt…"

"Good, good," Kyuubi relies, and at first Naruto thought he was speaking to him. But when he got closer he noticed there was a cellular phone being held up to his ear. "Keep the shipment in port, though; even though it came early, we'll get more money if it arrives on time for the client than if we sent it earlier."

Naruto sighed and wandered away from the shopping cart and his uncle, hoping to sneak in a few new boxes of cereal for his breakfasts. On the way to the cereal aisle, however, the blonde swore he saw that same shade of blood-red hair from before. On second glance he found it was simply someone's hat. He exhaled through his nose. _Damn. It's like I hate him so much that I'm paranoid. He just should've never had pushed Sakura or got into that fight with me. Or be so… heartless. If he was just a better person, I might not get this crawling feeling under my skin at the thought of him! Stupid Gaara… Stupid fight… Stupid me. _

The last thought had been of guilt from having punched the redhead first. For years he kept trying to tell himself that Gaara had provoked him, and that he had deserved it, and that it was inevitable… yet he knew that was a lie. In a sense, it was his entire fault that he and Gaara were so cold to one another. _But I refuse to try and fix things! It's not like he wants it fixed, anyway. Hell, it's hardly even broken; we're relatively civil to one another at school, right? I mean, when you ignore someone… that's considered 'civil', right? _

Naruto was forgetful in that way; he had forgotten all about how the children used to ignore him with cold shoulders and dark stares when he was younger. He had forgotten how rude and mean it can be to act in ignorance towards someone. He had forgotten why he was ignored so much, too; he honestly couldn't remember why they disliked him so. And, in reality, they couldn't remember either…

The teen successfully snuck the boxes of cereal into the cart and proceeded to help his guardian shop. When it was all done and over with – Naruto getting some gum at the cash register and helping load the trunk with the grocery bags – he plopped himself down in the driver's seat and buckled himself, breathing deeply. Now all he had to do was drive home safely…

"Uh-hum. Yeah. Yeah, I'll still be seeing you tomorrow for coffee. Alright; ciao!" Kyuubi said in a chipper tone to the phone as he closed it shut. "Dear Lord I hate that man."

Naruto laughed. "Then why did you agree to meeting with him for coffee?"

"You'll learn this soon enough, boy, but I might as well tell you: sometimes in life you have to work together with the people you hate. On some occasions, you even have to pretend to like them and be their friend. Because in the real world, no relationship is definite, and even people you dislike you have to come to terms with." Kyuubi stated with a sigh, buckling himself into his seat.

"Are you serious?" the blonde asks. "That's inane."

"Inane as it might be, it's the truth." The business man replies, raking a hand through his messy russet-orange hair.

Naruto snorted and put the car in drive, gripping the wheel tightly so not to shake. He was still terrified of crashing, but he held it in. "Well, you won't see me acting like that. The relationships I make are definite."

"We'll see about that," Kyuubi winks. "Now hit the gas and let's get our asses home!"

o0o0o0o0o

Carton of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in one hand, spoon in the other, Naruto trod up to his room and sat with a spin into his desk chair. He scooped a bite of the white-chocolate-raspberry-cheesecake flavored cream into his mouth, letting the cold settle and begin to melt on his tongue. After that bite was down, the teen was shoving another one in and booting up his Macintosh computer. When it was loaded, he signed into Yahoo Messenger, noticing that Sasuke and Sakura were online. Almost fearfully, he made his status 'invisible' so that he appeared offline. Did he want to talk to Sasuke? It's been a while… and what's more, their last conversation online hadn't ended very well. Ever since the day Naruto's first kiss had been taken by the raven-haired boy, their friendship hadn't quite been the same.

Sakura knew his trick, immediately IM-ing him. _/I know you're there, Naru! You can't hide from me!/_

"Hi Sakura," Naruto said while he typed the words.

_/Why are you invisible? It's not because Sasuke is on, is it?/ _

Naruto sighed when he read the words on the screen. "Actually, that is why…" he murmured. "But should I tell her that?"

He ended up typing that he had done it on accident, and on that note be made his status 'available' once more. After a minute or two, Sasuke IM-ed him. _/Hey dobe/ _

Naruto smiled vaguely. _/Hey teme. How's life at the school for bad asses?/ _

_/Boring and repetitive. How's KH?/ _

_/Interesting, actually. We got assigned these e-mail addresses that we have to talk to for a month. Some sort of peer exercise Mr. Umino is trying out school wide. I got some guy in our grade, but I don't know who he is. He writes poetry, though. It's pretty cool./ _

There was a pause as the bottom of the window informed Naruto that the opposite person was typing. The reply came just then, and it sounded a hint jealous. This made Naruto a little uncomfortable; it was weird having a friend who went to a boarding school somewhat far away who you knew had more than an unpretentious crush on you.

But he could deal with it; he had to. No matter what, Sasuke was still his friend. Speaking of friends, the blonde turned away from his instant message screen to open up his e-mail. Today's personal assignment: talk to Resshin about… _I can't think of anything. Shoot. _He peered down at his ice cream, taking a large bite. _Well, I can always ask what his favorite ice cream is! _The boy chuckled at that thought, because it was pretty stupid.

Kiba sighed on suddenly, and Naruto smiled. While he IM-ed three people at once, ate ice cream, and played music, he also decided to write that new e-mail to Resshin. Although, it was – for once in his life – hard for Naruto to find what to say.

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ what's up?_

_Resshin,_

_How are you doing today? Kind of a lame question, but I want to know. _

_As for me, I tried drove to the store today with my dad – a traumatic experience, let me tell you – and am currently just eating some ice cream, IM-ing people. Damn, I didn't not like driving. I should technically have a license by now, but… I'm still shaken up from my mom's death. It's stupid, but I'm afraid. Well, to crash, I mean. Which might be why, when I came home, I turned to ice cream. It's my one true weakness and comfort food. Do you like ice cream? I ask because I actually know some people who don't like it or are lactose intolerant. Which is weird in my opinion. If they're allergic to milk, how did they eat when they were babies? Okay, weird question, but I'm a little on the ramble right now. Sorry that you have to be my victim, there, Resshin. _

_You know what? Today while I was driving I saw this kid on the sidewalk. Someone I know from school; I don't know if you know him or not, but he's in our year. I really don't like the guy… he makes my skin crawl. Scary, right? I guess it's because we have some kind of twisted chemistry between us or something. And it doesn't help that we've gotten in a fight before. _

_That doesn't give me away, does it? I really have to ask Mr. Umino if you fail this project if your e-pal figures out who you are before the month is up. He wouldn't grade us that way, do you think? Anyway… it was weird seeing him out on the sidewalk today because as soon as I said his name my dad looks at me weird and starts asking questions. Don't you hate it when people pry about how you feel towards someone? They always take it the wrong way._

_If you bother to reply to his ridiculous e-mail, I ask you send another poem. I want to share one of them with one of my friends. She'd just love it._

– _Shippuuden_

Naruto frowned at the outcome of his e-mail before hitting 'send'. It was a weird one, but that's how he did things. While he waited for the reply, he scraped up the last of his ice cream and licked his spoon clean before tossing the teeny pint-sized carton in the trash.

Sakura asked how things were going with his Faceless-and-Nameless partner. 'Okay I guess…' he typed out. 'Though, I get the feeling that he'll laugh at the one I just sent him. I had no idea what to say, so whatever came to my head went into it.'

_/LOL, sounds promising! -wink-/ _she replies, the response almost immediate.

_/Oh, you laugh now. But you'll see; he'll reply back and be all polite about it. Or the opposite and be all rude about it, I'm not sure. He's kind of unpredictable, but I am too, aren't I Sakura? XD/ _

_/So much so that we've all learned to go with the flow /_

He laughs at her comeback before turning his attention to the window with Kiba's messages. The brunette gets impatient at times, so Naruto wasn't surprised when Kiba buzzed him once or twice. "Antsy much?" the blonde grins, typing a response to his friend.

Sasuke's window started flashing, but by the time Naruto got to it the teen had already signed out. The only thing written down was: 'Sorry Naruto, I have homework to do. Bye.'

The blonde blinked hard before closing the window and shaking his head. It's been like that with Sasuke lately: he'll just up and leave with a lame excuse._ Maybe it's because of… _Naruto's mind drifted off the subject as a 'you've got (one) new mail' box popped up in the corner of his screen. He clicks it and grins when he sees that the letter is from Resshin.

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject: **__Re: what's up?_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_Honestly, I'm not doing so well today. You asked and there it is. As to why… I'd rather not get into it. _

_On the contrary, I do like ice cream. Like you, it's probably my main weakness. If I could, I would probably live off of ice cream. It was the one treat my father would buy for us. But how ice cream fits into your mentioning of driving, I have no idea. Your rambling had me lost for a minute there. You do realize that you were making nearly no sense, right? However, I can understand why you'd fear getting into a crash. If my mother had died in a different way, say… in a plane crash… then I would probably never ride a plane again. Though the fear is childish, so you should get over it. Just move passed it and tell yourself you're safe in the car and everyone around you is just as safe. Say this to yourself and I'm sure you can dump your fears. _

_I've never hated someone like that, or felt much of anything near that. Scary? Not really. Whoever he is, I'm sure you have your reasons for disliking him so. Although I wonder if he feels the same. The feeling could possibly not be mutual. I wouldn't know; I feel neutral towards mostly everyone at school, especially everyone in our grade, so I couldn't say I know what you feel. I can say, however, that I sense some people directing such feelings towards me. I'm not very well liked, and I know it. It's a lonely life to lead._

_Signed,  
__Resshin _

_P.S. Here's a poem for you. Show it to your friend, I don't care. It's not like… 'she', did you say? … knows who wrote it. And since you said my other poems were too short for you, here's a longer one._

_**Attachments: **__Sleepless_

Curiously, Naruto clicked the attachment to read the poem. as his eyes scanned down the lines, a wave of comprehension and sadness washed over him like a cool breeze from a window in the fall. He just had to send Sakura this one; it was too good to keep to himself. Besides, Resshin had said it was okay…

_/Oi, Sakura, you have to read a poem my e-pal sent me!/_

_/Sure thing. Paste it in./_

/_Sleepless_

_Chilling and breaking  
__Dreaming but mistaking  
__That sleep would bring me peace  
__Or that the pain would cease__It throbs dully as I toss and turn  
__My fingers itch terribly as I yearn  
__To feel the sensitive touch you refuse to give  
__To escape my bruises and learn to live_

_Thinking I could come to you was my first fault  
__My second was when I didn't strike you back  
__It had been courage that I lack  
__All sense of compassion comes to a halt_

_Sleep, it seems, is no longer an option  
__Not when my dreams burn me rotten  
__If only I had means to break away  
__If only there was another way  
__Like for someone to come take hold of me  
__And unleash the heavy chains you made  
__Out of the brutal memories I call my own  
__Into the shackles I call my home_

_If only they would take me away from the life that shouldn't be  
__If only they could come and set me free__Stuck sleepless I am once again  
__The last soothing thing being the whoosh of rain/_

_/Holy shit, Naruto, who is this guy? That's super sad, yet well-written./_

_/I know, right? I thought the same thing. But obviously, Sakura, I don't know who he is. I think I can guess who he's talking about in the poem. I'll ask just to make sure…/_

_/You do that. In the meantime, I want to talk to you about my e-pal./_

_/Okay/_

Naruto hardly paid attention to Sakura and her e-pal, though. She said something about guessing it was Lee, but Naruto didn't bother to double check that this was what she had said. He was too preoccupied in responding to Resshin's e-mail.

The blonde cracked his fingers and began to write:

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Re: what's up?_

_Resshin,_

_Holy shit! Just… ho-ly shittt. When did you write that poem? 'Cause I have this feeling the person you were talking about in it was your father or relative or something. Man, I thought I had it rough since I don't have my birth parents alive anymore and was practically shunned as a kid, but you win. Seriously. I feel like such a moron now. I'm sorry... Not sorry I asked to read more poetry, though. I just mean I'm sorry for acting so casual. But at the same time, I don't want you to think I pity you; to me, pity is disgusting because it makes people look like they're above someone else. No, I don't pity you, but it makes me sick inside that someone in my school, in my grade, someone I may possibly know, has such a dark secret. I wish there was something I could do…_

_But I can't, can I? All I can do is talk to you._

_So say something. Anything. Let's play the two-question game again. I'll start: What's your favorite flavor of ice cream (since we were talking about it before)? Also: In Konoha, where's your favorite place to hang out?_

– _Shippuuden_


	6. Chapter 5: A Requiem Comes Spilling Out

Chapter 5: A Requiem Comes Spilling Out the Fingertips

Gaara stared at the screen for a moment, blinking quizzically. 'All I can do is talk to you. So say something, anything…'

_Why is he trying so hard?_ Gaara thinks. _This isn't for the grade anymore to him, is it? He doesn't care about passing Tech any longer, does he? It's personal to him now. Excluding the poem, would he have still reacted the same if I had told him something of that context myself? Should I even tell him about the poem's meaning?_

The redhead stood, took a pace or two down the length of his room, and then returned to the laptop on his bed. "He doesn't even know me, yet he says he understands. How can he? How can anyone?"

He sits back down, yanks the piece of technology onto his lap, and rereads one of Shippuuden's sentences.

'To me, pity is disgusting because it makes people look like they're above someone else.'

_He has a point there. That's exactly what I think. I despise pity for that reason. I never want anyone to tell me that they pity me,_ Gaara nods in his mind.

The redhead looked to the clock on his bedside table, noticing that it was still relatively early even though he hadn't gotten around to checking the e-mail until two or so hours since it was sent. Considering the time it was now, perhaps Hurricane was still online and he could reply right away and have the other boy still get it before tomorrow.

Wait. Did he just want to reply right away? Since when did this get personal for him as well? Gaara shakes his head, crimson locks falling over his eyes and tickling his neck. _I refused to get too attached. I won't write to him again until tomorrow._

So why was he clicking the 'reply' button?

With a disgruntled sigh through his nose, the redhead shook off his conflicted thoughts and decided to just reply to the damn letter. It was an assignment no matter what, and deep down – though he won't admit it to himself – Gaara liked having someone to talk to. Pale fingertips painted black on the nails reached forward and began clacking away:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** none_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I don't see what the big deal is. So I was hurt in the past… so what? I wrote that when I used to be angry. Now I don't give a fuck. I've moved beyond the anger and pain. I can cope with it now that I'm safe from the one who had hurt me. I wasn't saved necessarily in the way I had hoped for in the poem, but whatever. _

_It's good you don't pity me. I despise pity. I was thinking that to myself when I read what you had sent. Although, I'm a little confused: since when did this become so personal to you that you wish to do something? Consider that one of my two questions for you._

_About said questions: my favorite flavor differs with mood. One thing stays the same: I like complicated flavors of ice cream, usually the ones made by Edy's and Ben and Jerry's. The flavor I've been leaning towards most as of late, though, has been the Ben and Jerry's pistachio. Not the most complicated of flavors, but lately it seems I don't want things too sweet. _

_As for my favorite hangout place? I wander around. Typically I head down to the lake to write or the arcade for a game of billiards. What about you? Where do you go? (Consider that my second question.)_

_Signed,  
Resshin _

_P.S. Here's another poem for you. Less depressing, so don't come to me all gloomy about it. It's one of those poems I make up whenever I read some fantasy/romance book. Laugh all you want at it, I don't care. _

_**Attachments:** The Catalark_

It was one of his poems he wrote when he was getting that longing feeling for someone to love. It was pathetic, if not girlish, but even boys sometimes wish for true love. Not all guys are in it for the sex, especially not Gaara; he hardly could picture himself with someone sexually. He didn't thirst for it like everyone else. He more thirsted for gentle love, not lustful love. The gentle sort of love was the kind he never got as a child, which is when he needed it most. Also, the sexual sort of love reminded him of when… No, no, he wasn't going to think about that. It had been a drunken mistake that he had fallen defenseless against.

So, that aside, when he had written 'The Catalark' he had just finished reading a fantasy/romance novel (one he rarely indulged in for fear of being jealous of the perfect connection between the main characters) and felt the need to write something of the same genre for himself. It was his way of expressing… missed chances for love? No, more like desired chances for love. Yes, that sounded right.

What he got and in the end sent was this:

_Climb aboard sapphire wings  
And we shall travel to where the Catalark sings.  
Hear their familiar tunes from when we met:  
- Dreams and past lives,  
- Bleeding tears and sleepless nights.  
Recall the time when the Catalark swam  
And all our memories together began.  
Watch as the Catalark sails through the sky  
And misting water as it dives.  
Kiss my lips  
And fade too deep;  
Into the clouds,  
And into sleep.  
Taste the frost of the Catalark's breath  
As it sings about life after death.  
Touch the sun  
And lick the sky,  
Don't look back  
Or wonder why.  
Caress my face one last time  
As the Catalark's clock ticks away nine._

After re-reading it, he wondered if maybe he shouldn't have sent it to Shippuuden. It seemed almost too mushy to send to another guy. _Shit._

Gaara closed his eyes for a moment, recollecting if there is a single person out there who wouldn't take that poem the wrong way. He couldn't think of anyone. He just hoped that his e-pal was one of those few people.

Idly, the redhead put on some music. He didn't much care what came on; he just wanted some noise in the background. It ended up being a Korn song, 'Shoots and Ladders'. That was just as well, because it was loud yet soothing in an unexplainable way. As Gaara reclined back in his chair, he recalled having skipped taking his medication today. Oh well, it was too late to take it now. He'll just have to make sure not to forget tomorrow. _It would help if I took it at the same time everyday. That way it'd become routine and I wouldn't forget anymore. Temari would appreciate that. Speaking of which, she never got around to calling me today… I don't mind it, though. I wouldn't have wanted to talk. Unless she did call, only it was while I was out riding my bike? I should check the voicemail to make sure. _

He doesn't get up and do that right away, however, for at that moment a box pops up telling him that he has mail. Gaara blinks sleepy light teal eyes at the screen before leaning forward to click the notice and go to his inbox. And what does he find but a reply from Shippuuden? No surprise there, because the only people who have been e-mailing him lately are his assigned partner and his sister.

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: CarastophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** Re: _

_Resshin,_

_If you say so, thought it's still kind of a big deal to me. Sort of, anyway. -shrug-_

_Since when did it become so personal? You seriously want to ask that? It should be obvious: since the first reply you gave to me. At first I was unsure about his whole project, but now I think it was a good idea. I got to meet you, and I already think of us as friends. Don't you?_

_Ew, I don't like pistachio ice cream! I really don't like nuts very much at all… almonds are okay, though. Their flavor is like vanilla-cherries, so I like them. But anything else I really don't like; especially not peanuts. They taste funny; plus, I'm allergic to them. So no nut ice cream for me, thanks. _

_Really, the lake and the arcade? I agree with you there; although I do to those places for different reasons: I love to swim and I'm a bit of a classic-video-game addict. One other favorite place to hang, though, is in the school parking lot at the basketball hoop. I play a game with some friends every so often, especially on summer vacations. _

_About that last poem you sent… I wasn't laughing at it at all! It actually kind of got to me. Which is dumb-speak for 'I really liked it'. "Dumb-speak" because it was so… _nice_… that I was surprised. Sure, that one line was a tad depressing (the one about 'bleeding tears and sleepless nights'), but other than that it was super romantic. I didn't even know you had a romantic side, Resshin! Because as far as I can tell, you're a pretty brooding guy. Er, no offense. Still… you never fail to amaze me with what you write. It's like you're keeping all this stuff inside and it comes pouring out your fingers. That's really cool. _

_Question: I notice in your poems you talk about not sleeping more than once. What are you, an insomniac? _

_– Shippuuden_

A strange, rare thing happened then: Gaara leaned forward, put his elbow on his knee, pinched the bridge of his nose and **smiled.** It was a smile that was hardly noticeable, barely showing any of his pearly whites, and it was more of relief from Hurricane's reaction to the poem than out of amusement; though in spite of all that, it's a smile. Part of the reason for it's appearance was for the irony of the question at the end since it was true. He was an insomniac, from his medication and frequent nightmares. Not to mention from his obsession with caffeine (he drank coffee nearly every morning and turning the day he would sip on a Pepsi or a Coke).

With that odd smile yet to wipe from his lips, Gaara went to reply. But when the window refreshed to the letter composure page, the redhead paused. What to say? After a moment, he decided the response could wait until tomorrow; it was getting late for a school night, and even an insomniac ought to sleep from time to time.

With that, Gaara closed the lid on his laptop to let it go into stand-by mode. He set it down on his desk, plugged it in to charge, and proceeded to get ready for bed. He fell into the usual routine: change into pajama bottoms and over-sized t-shirt, brush teeth, wipe off the eyeliner and chipped nail polish, plug iPod into stereo and play music to fall asleep to, and then climb into bed.

Slumber greeted him with open arms within the hour. It must be a blue moon tonight, because the insomniac for once wasn't restless in his dreams.

o0o0o0o0o

To roughly state that he was 'dragging ass' in the morning would be an understatement. Perhaps if you said, 'woke up on the wrong side of the bed' it might fit a bit better, though a combination of both sayings was in order here.

Kankurou frowned at his younger brother as the usually graceful teen dropped things not once, not twice, but four or five times. A few of those things made quite the mess. And he hadn't had his coffee yet, which didn't help the situation one bit.

"Eh, Gaara? Are you… okay?" the brunette asks, trying to get ready for work.

Gaara sends a glaring look at Kankurou. "What makes you say that? I'm absolutely peachy," the redhead replies with dark sarcasm.

Sarcasm or not, to hear words like 'absolutely peachy' come from Gaara's lips is an injustice in itself. Kankurou scratched his head and shoved the remainder of his coffee at his sibling. "Here, you'll need this; and probably the whole pot. I don't know what your problem is, but I have a feeling coffee will fix it."

"Humph," Gaara grumbles in riposte, slugging down some of the liquid he had been handed. He forgot to check how hot it was, though… "AH, DAMN!"

Kankurou winced. "Uh, I could've told you that it was hot…"

"That would have been a nice warning," Gaara mumbled, slamming the mug down on the table, sending it's contents sloshing.

"Er… I can see you're in a bad mood, so, you know, I'll just… mosey on out and get to work. See ya, Gaara," the brunette said with an enervate tone.

"See you," Gaara replies, turning to make himself something to eat. He settled for cream of wheat, a thing he'd been denied for ages, so it was something different and good to have on this bad-mood morning.

After breakfast and medicine-taking was all done and over with, along with his shower and throwing on of clothes before hand, all that was left was to brush his teeth, put on his eyeliner, and head for school (he lived close enough to ride his bike).

When the time came for his classes, Gaara found he really didn't want to attend them. He wasn't one to ditch, but God knows he's had the urge periodically. He's never given into it, though; as much as he hated school, he was good at it and didn't want to fail. His goal was to get into the best college that was humanly possible. And all the best colleges, he knew, were a miles off from here; and that's exactly what the doctor ordered.

Gaara sighed to himself, plopping down in his fifth-hour class, Technology. Iruka was asking that they write to their e-pals for today, which will be the last day to write in class to them for the rest of the month. "I know my third period class wasn't all too ecstatic about it, but I know you guys will do what I ask. No playing internet games or checking your MySpace here, right?"

"No, Mr. Umino," the class chorused, a few kids exiting out or minimizing windows that had such websites displayed.

"Good! That's precisely what I expected to hear from all of you. Now send your e-mails and maybe then I'll let you browse the net as you please," he winks, and the scar across his nose wrinkles cutely at the action.

That was motivation enough for just about the entire class, and soon the only reverberation in the room was the clicking of plastic-topped keys. The redhead was in the process of doing the same thing when the tan teacher came up behind him, his hair up in a ponytail today.

"How are you doing with the owner of the address I appointed to you?" he asks Gaara.

"I assume you ask because you know who it is?" the student retorts.

Iruka smiles. "Of 'course I know; don't tell anyone, but the Principal and I assigned certain people together. We were careful in who we chose for our more… **troubled** students. The rest were mostly set at random."

"'Troubled'?" Gaara repeats, raising an accusing eyebrow (or lack there of, since he was born without the hair for said body part). "Are you implying that _I'm_ troubled?"

"Er, well, no…" the teacher sweats, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm just saying, we tried to pair alike people together. I hope your e-pal has said something about his mother? And I know you don't have your own parents around, so…"

"Ah, I get your reasoning now." Gaara nods monotonously, although inwardly he's upset by it.

"You see? I knew you'd get it. You're a bright kid, Gaara. Now, why don't you get started on that e-mail? It's looks awfully blank and sad sitting in front of you like that."

He turns to leave, but Gaara calls him back. "Mr. Umino? Can someone fail this project if they figure out who their mystery partner is?"

"Huh? What makes you ask that?" Iruka frowns.

"Shippuuden mentioned something about it." The redhead says impassively.

The teacher laughs. "So he chose 'hurricane' as his penname? That makes a lot of sense." He pauses to stop his laughter before answering: "No, you won't fail if you figure out who your e-pal is. I'd like it that the whole school stays anonymous so that people can share more of their inner thoughts without fear of judgment and gossip, but I suppose if you happen to figure it out it won't matter. However…"

Gaara waits patiently for the rest, his cold aqua eyes staring up at the older man's face.

"…If you do figure him out, or vice versa, but the other one doesn't know, please promise me you'll keep writing to them. By hook or by crook, got it?"

The redhead nods, promising his teacher he'd do just that. With a grin the man pats Gaara once on the shoulder before walking away, the contact making the boy tense briefly. He un-tensed slowly, pops his neck as he turns to crack it, then begins to write to the shadowy boy who calls himself Shippuuden.

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** g'afternoon_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I asked Mr. Umino for you if someone could fail if they found out who their online partner is. He said no. That's a big relief to you, I bet. It is for me, too, in a way. _

_Friends? You honestly think we're already friends? I highly doubt that. Would your opinion of me change if you knew who I was? I could ask myself the same thing: would my opinion of you change if I knew who you were? These are things we should probably not discuss and keep to ourselves, yet I wonder…_

_As a matter of fact, I am a bit of an insomniac. Does that trouble you? If it does, I can at least support it by saying I have my reasons. Like my medication, my nightmares, and my obsession with drinking caffeine. But you don't really need to know any of that._

_No offense taken. I can see how anyone would be surprised I wrote something like that. It's a rare occasion, I assure you; it comes and goes. The 'nice' feeling is very fleeting for me. When it is there, I take advantage of the feeling and write a poem. _

'It's like you're keeping all this stuff inside and it comes pouring out your fingers,' _you write. Sure, in a sordid kind of way that can be true. Although that 'stuff' always feels like a requiem to me. That's a lament or a funeral song, if you don't know. I'm thinking a majority of my poems are the latter. Oops, there I go being all depressing again. I bet that bothers you, because you seem like such an upbeat person; no offense, heh heh._

_Signed,  
Resshin_

He didn't know what possessed him to write such a letter, other than because he 'felt like it'. Even so, it was sent, and there was nothing he could do to take it back now. It occurred to Gaara that he saying a lot more to his e-pal than he's ever said to anyone. Thus far, he's hardly written a word to his sister nor spoke one to the other kids at school (save for his insults and ill-tempered comebacks). In the same token, he wasn't saying much of anything worthwhile to the other teen. Gaara was merely… saying words to humor his teacher. Right? That's all it was at first, though will that remain the case? It wasn't like that for Shippuuden; Gaara knew that much. The other boy obviously was taking this seriously and enjoyed replying.

The bell rang, making Gaara's chest jolt in surprise. The silence and peaceful sound of clicking keyboards being broken by such a noise made Gaara's thoughts literally shatter. He shakily logged off his computer. After regaining his composure, the redhead continued to go to his next class.

Which was sixth-hour Chemistry. Kakashi, for once, was already in the classroom before everyone came in for the beginning of the period. That was a first. Gaara took his assigned seat in the front near Shino and… Naruto Uzumaki.

The silver-haired teacher seemed especially uppity today, his aura full of excitement as the class settled into their seats. After the doors were closed and the bell rang signifying the commencing of class, Kakashi was bursting forth and calling out a name. "Matsuri! Could you be a dear and hold this chart up for me, please? Thanks!"

"Er… Okay…" she giggled, winking at Gaara as she passed him. He simply frowned, which ended up making her smile broader before she did as the teacher had asked. The poster board was tall against her tiny frame, covering most of her body. The teacher paid no mind to this, though, and launched into what they were going to do today.

"It's an experiment day, everyone! And so are tomorrow and the day after. It's a three-part experiment that'll take patience and participation, as well as caution. So listen carefully, 'kay? You're getting to get together with a partner – and no, you cannot choose them yourself or trade – so that nothing goes wrong with this. It can be hazardous, but thanks to Gai and Asuma I as able to get the necessary safety equipment and ingredients for this specific experiment. Now, I know all of you did blood typing in biology your freshman years, and again we'll need a drop or two of blood from one person between you and your lab partner. But have no fear, I already called or e-mailed your parents and guardians to see if any of you were squeamish or have any other concerns. Luckily, none of you have AIDS, and only Hinata Hyuuga out of all my students is squeamish, but she's not even in this period. So we're in the clear to do this experiment! You see, what we need to accomplish is concoct three different compounds in some test tubes, get a few drops of blood in three other test tubes, and record what the different compounds to do your blood. I have written the typical blood types on the chart Matsuri is holding up, along with the compound's scientific names. After today we'll record our combined information as a class on this chart. What we're looking for is the percentage of…"

_Wow, he certainly is talkative today._ Gaara, somewhere between the words 'partner', 'blood', and 'combined', had spaced out and allowed his blue-green orbs to wander the room. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Naruto peering curiously at him. His eyes fell to the blonde boy, and immediately said boy looks away, his head spinning faster than The Exorcist. _He must really be afraid of me, _Gaara reflexively sighs. _Just like everyone else._ The thought was oddly filled with remorse.

The feeling disappears quicker than it had appeared, for at that moment the teacher had began to list of partners he had made. "Inuzuka, I have you written down to be with Ino, but she's absent today… so I'll just have to put you in with another pair. You'll be in the first threesome I've ever had for this experiment."

A handful of kids start giggling at the word 'threesome', all of them having their minds buried deep in the gutter. Gaara was no where near amused, because the teacher said next:

"And in this case, that threesome will be you, Uzumaki, and Sabaku."

All three boys stiffen, exchanging uneasy glances between themselves and the teacher. "Do I really have to?" Naruto and Kiba say almost in unison.

"Mr. Hatake, why can't I just work alone with Kiba?" Naruto pipes up.

"Yeah! I mean, we're friends so we get along real well, and I bet Gaara would like to work by himself… Right, Gaara?" Kiba puts in.

He redhead looked between the blonde and the brunette for a minute, his eyes flashing with anxiety. "Uh… yes, that's correct."

Kakashi coughs in one hand, forever blocking everyone from seeing his mouth. "I'm afraid that won't do, boys. This is not an individual assignment; and Kiba, as soon as Ino is back in class, you won't have to be with Naruto and Gaara; so don't worry about it. This is merely temporary."

"B-b-but…" Naruto tries to protest, and Gaara glares sideways at him. _What? Am I not a good enough partner for you, Uzumaki?_

"Don't even try and complain about the situation, Naruto. I know about your fist fight with Gaara, but it's time to move passed that, don't you think? It's been years; so kiss and make up and get to work on your experiment!" the teacher scolded, turning around and waving his hands in the air exasperatedly.

"'Kiss and make up'…?!" Gaara hears the blonde murmur, a strange, unreadable look crossing his scarred face. Speaking of which, Gaara recognized the scars to be a tad more faded than they were when he had fought Naruto. Just what were those strange scars from? If they were drawn over with a marker, they'd easily resemble cat or fox whiskers.

With a sigh, Kiba brings a chair up between his friend and his friend's enemy. "So… what's up guys? How do we do this?"

"We have to wait until Mr. Hatake passes out the supplies," Gaara says dully, not looking either of the other boys in the eye. Distractedly, he runs his hands through his blood-red bangs, and Naruto catches something in the movement.

"You… you have a tattoo on your head!"

"He does?" Kiba asks, raising an eyebrow.

Gaara turns to look blankly at the two of them, taken aback by Naruto's outburst. Really looking at him for the first time today, Gaara noticed that Naruto was wearing an orange shirt with a black and grey star-skull-splatter pattern going down one sleeve underneath his short-sleeved school uniform. _Orange is Shippuuden's favorite color,_ he thinks vaguely. He noticed in turn that Kiba was wearing a similarly styled shirt under his uniform; only his sported a hood and had a blotchy pattern in white and grey. Calmly, and while adverting his eyes, Gaara replies: "Yes, I do have a tattoo on my forehead. But it was a mistake and nearly impossible to remove, so I hide it with my hair."

"What's it a tattoo of?" one boy asks as Kakashi sets their tubes and chemicals and needles down on the table before them.

"And why is it nearly impossible to remove?" the other boy asks as Gaara reaches for the safety goggles and rubber gloves that were also being dispensed.

"We should really concentrate on doing the task at hand," the redhead says to the two of them.

"Pfft, fine, be that way." Naruto sulks, turning away.

"What? Shut up, Naruto! I wanna know! Come on, Gaara, what's under there?" the brunette asks, reaching to lift the locks of red hair from the other boy's forehead.

Gaara has extremely fast reflexes. In the blink of an eye he had Kiba's wrist suspended in mid air, the fingertips no where near his hidden tattoo. "Don't touch me," he hisses, giving Kiba's wrist an incisive tug before letting go.

"Jeez! Touchy, touchy…" Kiba grumbles. "I was curious, okay? No need to break my wrist over it!"

Gaara merely shrugs and casts his eyes back to their work.

* * *

**A/N: eh heh, you're all probably wondering why I'm updating after so long... well, you see, on Tuesday my internet and cable got shut off because my dad forgot to pay the Comcast bill. from Tuesday to today i was able to write all the way up to the beginning of Chapter 10. so you'll have 5-9 to read for today. is that awesome or what? i dunno what posessed me to write so much of it (over double of what was posted), but i honestly don't care. i was just in the mood, i suppose. that and i got sick. wish me healthy again. :(**


	7. Chapter 6: Resentment Towards My Enemy

Chapter 6: Resentment Towards My Enemy

Naruto didn't like working with Gaara. Naruto didn't like how Gaara grabbed Kiba's wrist when Kiba was just messing around; just trying to see what the tattoo was a picture of. Plainly, Naruto didn't like Gaara at all.

He disliked his marvelously cruel turquoise eyes, his silky bright red hair and his thick layers of eyeliner that made him look like a panda. He disliked his calm, stony face and his flawless grades. He also did not like Gaara's way of speaking or moving, which was always stylish and uncaring. Naruto didn't like all these things because, to be honest, he was jealous of them; and to be jealous of something, you have to like it. Which means: deep down, Naruto really did like these aspects of Gaara (even though he'd never confess it to himself). Gaara was cold and mysterious, callous but charming in his own way; he was very close to being like Sasuke. But Sasuke had at least been nicer to Naruto; he had at least been his friend, even though, later on, he admitted to wanting to be more than Naruto's friend.

Maybe, when you grind it down to the raw essentials, Naruto hated Gaara because he wanted to like him. In other words, he disliked the redhead because he longed to befriend him. He had, all those years ago in 8th grade, been pulled almost magnetically to the Sabaku boy, sensing his anguish and admiring his strange yet attractive appearance. Naruto wasn't sure what his orientation is, because for so long he had a crush on one of his best friends, Sakura. But even that faded, and when Sasuke had kissed him he was pretty sure he wasn't "into it" at all. So if he found Gaara slightly attractive, he wasn't sure if he was comparing looks the way girls do with one another (without be lesbian, like saying: "wow, she is really pretty") or if it meant he was gay. Either way, he knew he could never fall for someone like Gaara; it was an absurd, queer thought that never lasted more than a millisecond in the blonde's mind, and barely ever comes across his mind to begin with (except for in moments like this).

For here he was now, all but two feet away from the redhead, a frown on his face. Kiba chatted to him and asked Gaara a few questions, but Naruto refused to speak to Gaara to reply very much to his friend. He was also trying not to think, but he failed horribly in that category.

"Naruto," Gaara said in that low voice of his that was between clenched teeth. His mouth drew into a thin, hard line. "Please pay attention; you have to know what to do."

"Yeah, man, you're kind of in a daze," Kiba adds, chuckling nervously. He nudges the blonde. "Something wrong?"

"No." Naruto responds immediately. He pauses, pursing his lips behind two fingers before lifting them off and smiling weakly. "I'm sorry, I'll pay attention." He stretches his arms and clasps his hands together. "So, what do we gotta do now?"

Kiba scratches his cheek. "Er, well, we made the compounds… but we don't know who's going to be the sacrificial lamb."

"Come again?" the blonde puzzles, feeling slower than usual.

Gaara sighs through his nose and lightly touches his temples. "He means we have to choose who's finger to prick and draw blood from."

"I vote for one of you to do it," Kiba says, shrinking back with his hands up as if he were being arrested. "I ain't even going to be part of your group come tomorrow, so if you take my blood the recorded results might be useless."

"He has a point," Gaara nods curtly. "So I suppose –"

"I'll do it." Naruto offers, holding out his index finger. "I've had my whole face bleed before; I think I can take a few drops out of my fingertips."

"Oh, that's right! That cat mauled you at the zoo, right?" Kiba says with a snap of his fingers in remembrance.

"Is that how your face got scarred?" Gaara poses, pointing vaguely to Naruto's face.

"What's it to you?" Naruto retorts. "I thought you hated me."

"I could say the same about you." The redhead says.

Naruto hadn't been expecting that. "Well… sort of… I mean, I'm not going to 'kiss and make up' like Mr. Hatake wants."

Kiba chuckles, "Yeah; because if you kissed him, I bet your lips would get frost bite!" (He was referring to Gaara's reserved, practically icy behavior that was directed at everyone.)

The blonde frowns and elbows Kiba in the side. There was a resounding 'oof' on impact from the brunette, and Naruto snaps, "I didn't mean I'd _literally_ kiss him, you idiot!"

Gaara makes a noise, something between a cough and clearing of the throat. "Give me your hand," he says, pinching a needle between two fingers and offering his other hand up to Naruto.

"Huh?" The blonde blinks, that crawling feeling irritating his skin again.

"Let's just get the blood portion of his over with," Gaara states. "I'm the most careful of the three of us, so I think it's fair that I be the one to draw the needed blood."

"Y-yeah, I guess, b-but…" Naruto sputters, unable to speak all of a sudden.

The redhead sighs, losing his patience. "It will only take a moment, and then we can record the data and be done with this."

"Fine," Naruto grumbles, holding out his arm across Kiba to Gaara. "If you purposely stab me, I swear I'm going to kick yo–"

"Be immobile for me and that won't have to happen," the redhead retorts coolly, taking Naruto's hand in his. Naruto felt his ears involuntarily burn with a blush and his chest seemed to swell from the inside. _It's because I hate him so much,_ the blonde reassures. _That's why I'm reacting this way._

Gaara held his hand cupped in his own like a tee for a baseball. It was only there to make sure he didn't move, Naruto knew, yet… it felt strange. Almost intimate, except not quite. The blonde twitched faintly as he felt the needle enter the underside of the middle knuckle on his index finger, a place he noticed a blue vein could be seen. There was another, deeper pricking sensation that almost made him jump. Gaara's grip tightened, and to Naruto it made him feel like the redhead was made of marble. He was the right skin tone for marble, at least.

Dark, wine-colored liquid began to ooze out like a balloon inflating with helium before it slipped and dared to fall off the back of his knuckle. "Give me the first compound, Kiba," Gaara says calmly, setting the needle down and suspending the droplet on Naruto's hand in mid air.

"Okay… here," the brunette offers, lifting the first tube from it stand and making it hover beneath Naruto's finger. Gaara tapped the blonde's finger twice, the tiny ruby drop falling into the compound and beginning to sizzle.

"What's your blood type, Naruto?" Kiba asks, pen in had and data sheet under his palm.

"Oh, um…" Naruto slowly shook the haze that had fogged over his mind. "AB."

"Mine's O negative," Gaara states offhandedly. "The doctor says I'd make a good donor for the blood bank when I'm older."

"Ew, really? I'd hate that!" Kiba shivers. "Don't they drain, like, pints of blood? That's a lot. I'd totally get dizzy and fall over."

"I don't intend on selling my blood," Gaara says indifferently, motioning for Kiba to bring the next tube under Naruto's finger. "My body would probably go into shock." On that last word he gave Naruto's finger a tiny squeeze at the base, more blood spilling forth from the hole. The blonde winces but takes it well, like a child getting his booster shot. Only there wouldn't be any lollipops after this.

Kiba records the next results. "There's one left. How you doing, Naruto?"

"Oh, you know…" he breathes, sucking in the air like a fish. "I'm dealing with it."

"You're green," Kiba chuckles, pointing to his face. "Maybe you should see the nurse after this."

"No… no, I'm fine, other than feeling, uh, terribly uncomfortable."

It took Kiba a moment to understand what Naruto had meant. It was then he realized that Naruto was being held literally hostage by a guy he loathed, and was symbolically (as well as literally) spilling his blood for the guy. Awkward indeed… "Er, right. Sorry I asked, man."

"So…" Naruto huffed, his teeth grinding while Gaara gave his finger one last squeeze for blood. "H-how's it going between you and Hinata?"

Kiba visibly flushed, his eyes darting away. "Huh? Oh! – She makes one hell of a girlfriend, I tell you what."

The blonde smiled weakly as Gaara pulled the band-aid they were given out of it's wrapper and stuck it around the leaking wound. "That's… good," Naruto says vaguely, his eyes watching the pale fingers stick the band-aid on and pull away, finally letting go of his hand. He flexed his fingers, trying not to look at the redhead. "What's the diagnosis, doc?" he asks Kiba, looking over the sheet between the three of them.

"Well, you weren't lying when you said you were AB," the other replies. "See, when it sizzled that first time without bubbling, that meant you were an AB blood type. Uh… let's see… oh, well, according to this, we –"

"That's wrong," Gaara states, taking a pen off the table's black top and scribbling out what Kiba had written. His own scrolling starts filling the space next to it, filling in the proper deduction for the second result.

"Rude much?" Kiba frowns. "You could've been nicer about correcting me."

"This is the only way I know how to correct people," Gaara retorts. "There, it's right now. The rest looks fine, too. You made one measly mistake; don't get bent out of shape over it."

"Bent out of – Hey, Gaara, you get pretty bent yourself sometimes! Don't go talking to Kiba like that!" Naruto snaps, pointing his bandaged finger at the boy.

"Class is nearly over," was all he said.

Kiba looked over at the digital clock by the door. "Shit, he's right. I'll see you after school, okay, Naruto? I got to get back to my seat and get my stuff… put some of this away…"

"Oops, class, looks like we ran out of time to put our results together. No matter, we'll just do it tomorrow! Have a nice day, everyone." Kakashi smiles, although you can only see it in his eyes; his mouth was behind a novel of some kind.

Sluggishly, Naruto gathered his things and grumbled something about gym class with Maito Gai being moved to this afternoon because of some rain that happened early this morning. He then realized that someone should probably hold onto their data packet from today. He turns to snatch it up, but Gaara is already sliding it into a folder of his. "Hey, I was going to –"

"Either you'll lose it, wrinkle it, or get it dirty if I put this in your care. Don't even try to argue with me; you know that it's true."

"But…!" Naruto tries. "And how did you…?" Gaara simply stands, slings his over-the-shoulder pack on, and walks out the door as the bell rings. "Grrahhh!" the blonde grunts in a frustrated tone.

_God, he loves to make my blood boil, doesn't he?! It's like he plans out all the tiny details that'll piss me off… like his speech back in 8th grade. He's the sort of guy that knows all the right buttons to push. I'd rather be talking to Resshin. Wait, what made me think of him? Oh, that's right; I had self my cell phone buzz at my locker before 6th period, saying I had a new e-mail from him. I better look at it in study hall, maybe reply to it when I get home…_ Naruto thinks as he heads for his next class.

The rest of the day, it seemed, was a blur; he hardly remembered going through his last few classes before boarding the bus and heading home. There was no time to check his e-mail, however, because he forgot that he was meeting Kiba at the movies after school. A new movie had come out today; something filled with explosions and car chases, which is exactly what Naruto was in the mood for. _High levels of action, here I come!_

"Hey Naruto, I hope you don't mind that I brought some people along that wanted to come see this with us…"

The blonde smiled. "Nah, I figured some other people would tag along. So who else is showing up?"

"Well, I think Lee, Neji, Chouji and Shikamaru…" Kiba said, counting them off on his fingers. "And TenTen was going to tag along with Neji. You know, since she's into these kinds of movies, too, and since they're dating…"

"Still? It's been over a year now. I'm surprised Neji's tolerated her for so long," Naruto winks, laughing at the end. "Kidding, kidding! TenTen is hardly annoying."

"You bet your chops I'm not!" comes a sturdy female voice, and Naruto wheels around to find TenTen and Neji walking up the sidewalk to them.

"Well, speak of the devil and she shall appear! What's up, TenTen?" Naruto chuckles, bringing his hands up behind his head and crossing one foot over the other in a casual fashion.

"I _thought_ we were going to see a movie," she says in a smart-ass tone, a smirk on her lips.

"We are!" Kiba grins. "Just as soon as Lee, Chouji, and Shika get here…"

"Chouji and Shikamaru will probably be late," Neji says logically. "Shikamaru is too lazy to be on time, and Chouji usually waits for him."

"Then we'll just wait for L–" Kiba starts, but is cut off by running footsteps and a yell.

"Hey you guys!" Lee calls with a shining smile. "I apologize if I came late!"

"No, you're fine, Lee." TenTen reassures, giving him a slap on the back of his shoulder. "Right on time."

"Good, because Dad had me helping with the track team again, so I feared I might be late…" Lee explains, motioning with his hands, the sweatbands on his wrists making a blur of color appear in front of his face. His father was their gym teacher, Maito Gai. No one needed to know that Lee's last name was Gai to figure out they were related, though; the boy was practically a mirror image of his father in looks, personality, and stamina. Although Maito is more show-offish than his son, and Lee was more polite than his father. Funny thing was, he used to be on the track team from 6th grade to as recent as last year. "Where's Shika and Chou?" he asks after a while, glancing around.

"We're not going to wait for them," Naruto explains. "Neji says they'll probably be late."

Lee frowned. He shook his shaggy Beatles-cut hair and out up a fist. "That's not at all fair! We should wait for our friends!"

"Tch, you can wait for them if you want, but I'm getting a seat before the movie starts," Kiba tells him with a shrug. "See ya inside, you guys."

"We're coming, too," TenTen nods. She gives Neji's arm a tug. "Come on, honeybunch!"

Naruto cracks up. "'Honeybunch'?!"

"I'll have you know it's not a nickname I prefer." Neji says stiffly. "But she refuses to stop calling me it."

"Because it's so cute and so true!" TenTen giggles. "Now come ON!"

"Aren't you coming, Naruto?" Neji asks as he begins to be pulled into the movie theatre.

"In a minute," the blonde acknowledges. "I'm going to wait here with Lee for Chouji and Shikamaru."

"Suit yourself," the older boy shrugs, adjusting the ponytail he had hanging down on his back. He disappeared inside the building, TenTen still gripping his arm.

"So… Lee… how's it going with you and your e-pal from Technology class?" Naruto asks lightly, taking a seat on one of the benches out front. Lee joins him, a pout on his face.

"She figured out who I was already," he sighs, sitting down with a thud. "She told me so today."

"Who's 'she'?" Naruto poses, leaning forward slightly.

"Sakura," Lee admits. Then he grins crookedly. "Remember when I used to crush on her?"

"More like 'stalk' her, dude," Naruto chuckles. "But yeah, I remember; it was back in elementary school. You liked her up until middle school, I think…"

"That's right," Lee nods. A blush crosses his face. "But that was before, you know, I figured out…"

"That you like guys. I know, I know. Hey, didn't I already tell you? I don't care which you prefer. All of us were okay with you being gay, Lee. TenTen and Sakura, it seemed, were the most supportive." Naruto grins.

"Probably because Sakura was relieved I didn't like her anymore," Lee laughs, although all his laughs sound like breathless giggles. That was another thing he and his father had that differentiated them: his father had a deep, whole-hearted laugh, where as his son had a small, light laugh.

"Yeah, that's probably why," Naruto chuckles. Then he gets a sneaky look on his face, similar to the tricky fox-like ones his adoptive father makes. "So, is there any guy you're fancying lately?"

Rock Lee flushes again, looking away. "N-no…"

"Come on, Lee! I know there's someone!" Naruto nudges. "Tell me, tell me! Who is it?"

"Oh look, it's Chou!" the black-haired boy says suddenly, standing up. Sure enough, the chubby teen was making his was towards them, Shikamaru not far behind. "Hey Chou, over here!"

"You're not getting away with not telling me," Naruto scolds lowly with a dark smile to Lee. His face and tone change, however, when Shikamaru and Chouji get closer. "Hey guys! No rush or anything, but the movie is about to start, so let's get our asses inside and grab our tickets."

"Sure," Shikamaru shrugs. "Let's go, Chou. I'll buy you those ice cream things you like."

"Ooh, you mean Dibs? Hellz yeah!"

"Hey Lee," Naruto hints in a playful voice. "If you tell me who you like, I'll treat you to any candy you want!"

"No way," Lee scolds with a shake of his finger. "I am not bought off so easily!"

Naruto grins wickedly. "We'll see about that."

Lee shakes his head as they walk into the theatre, the smell of popcorn wafting through the air. "But if I told you," he murmurs out of Naruto's hearing range, "You might not like who it is."

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto was furious. When he had come home from the movies around dinner time, Kyuubi came home late and was drunk; and on a week night, no less! It was a strange, too, because Naruto has never seen his uncle drunk before… Luckily, the fox-like man was a happy drunk, all jumping and full of jokes. Still, he was intoxicated, and Naruto wasn't comfortable with that.

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** Re: g'afternoon, although now it's night_

_Resshin,_

_My uncle/Dad/guardian (or whatever you want to call him) comes home today, and guess what? He's as drunk as hell. He's acting all loopy and weird, which I suppose is good compared to an abusive drunk. But… I don't like seeing him this way. And I bet you money I'll be the one dealing with his hangover. Fan-fucking-tastic. I mean, he picks up a cigar on occasion when he's at a party, but I guess this time around he skipped smoking and slugged down a few martinis instead. God I hate this; it's not even the weekend yet! I mean, it is for him… he got the next few days off, but I have to go to school tomorrow, as you know. Sorry to be venting to you like this; I just get the feeling that you'll understand._

_It's good to know that I won't fail. And hey, I doubt my opinion of you would change! Sure, you're depressing at times, and yeah I'm saying that because I am an 'upbeat' sort of person, but I like you. You're pretty cool, you know? You're different than everyone else I've met. You were reluctant to start this e-mailing thingy, yet I get the feeling you don't mind it as much now. _

_Wait… you take medication? What the hell do you need meds for?! Never mind, I won't pry. That's way too personal. I don't get why you need any, though; you seem fine to me._

_– Shippuuden_

_P.S. I don't know if you have Kakashi for Chemistry, but damn, that experiment is weird. We started it today, and I don't think I like it all that much._

After venting, the blonde felt much better. He reclined back in his desk chair and hit send, a gust of air like a long-held sigh coming out his mouth. In a way, that exhale was releasing all the stress of the day. "I should go shower," Naruto thinks aloud. He shuts off his computer screen and stands, stretching out his limbs, before grabbing some pajamas and heading for the bathroom. "I'll be in the shower, Dad! Try not to throw up while I'm in there!"

"Throw up? Nah, I'll beh phine! Don' fret ova meh!" comes the slurred reply from downstairs. Naruto shakes his head and closes the bathroom door with a dry click.

Time to let the dirt coating his skin and mind wash down the drain…

* * *

**A/N: have any of you noticed how formal Gaara is in his e-mails and how informal Naruto is? i made Naruto cut directly to the chase, only opening with 'Resshin' and endoign with ' - Shippuuden'. on the other hand, i had Gaara take the long way around by writing, 'dear Shippuuden' and ending with 'signed, Resshin'. i just thought it fit their personalities...**


	8. Chapter 7: Killing 2 Birds With 1 Stone

**A/N: i love writing dreams, can't you tell? and oh! go listen to 'Killing Birds' by Chris Cornell! it helped inspire this. :3**

* * *

Chapter 7: Killing Two Birds With One Stone

Naruto had a dream that night that plagued his thoughts all day.

In the dream, there were two birds: one looked like a cardinal and always flew between the cracks of the quaking earth, while the other looked like a bigger version of a canary and always flew between the eye of a storm and the sky above it. The canary was a darker yellow than it should be, and the cardinal was a darker red. They never touched or crossed paths; the canary would fly through the high winds of Naruto's dream while the cardinal would weave in through the cracking earth. But, suddenly, the canary fell to the ground, dead. It started to swell, and then it exploded into a million fluffy yellow-and-white feathers. In the middle of the feathery heap was a boy who looked exactly like him, only without the scars on his face and with more yellow hair. He uncurled himself and stretched out his limbs, a smile growing on his mouth. He began walking, light as air, through the windy plains he had fallen onto as a bird. He stumbles across a rocky area, though, where the wind was gone and the sky was darker. The boy stopped and blinked his overly blue eyes at a red object in the distance. On closer inspection, he found it to be that cardinal, lying dead. Or maybe it was only asleep? The canary-boy leaned down and touched one of the blood-red wings. 'Resshin, get up,' he said. 'You have yet to be reborn.' The bird lying down moved it's eyes behind it's lids, but then went very still. It had been asleep after all, but now it too was dead. Like the canary before it, it exploded into a million red-black feathers, and lying in the center of the feathery heap was a boy…

But that's when he had woken up by the ringing of his alarm clock. Too bad; he had wanted to see who Resshin was. Obviously, it the dream, the canary had been himself, Shippuuden. Yet he ran out of time to see who Resshin was; the way he had been folded up neatly in a ball on his knees had made it impossible to see his face. Vaguely, Naruto wondered why his subconscious made them birds, or why Resshin had been red. It was then he remembered Earthquake talking about how, at first glance, people might think his favorite color was black or red, and how in his poems he had wanted to be set free. What's freer than a bird? So it made sense why his mind had chosen those things; his subconscious must have based the dream off of the letters.

"What a freaky dream," Naruto chuckles to himself as he grabbed his textbooks for class from his locker.

Suddenly Kiba came up beside him, rapping lyrics to whatever was playing through his earphones. "So put your hands down my pants and I bet you'll feel nuts –"

"What the hell, Kiba?!"

The brunette didn't stop. He continued rapping: "– And you're getting two thumbs up; you had enough of two-hand touch, you want it rough –"

"Seriously, you have to tell me what the hell you're listening to."

"– You're out of bounds; I want you smothered, want you covered, like my waffle house hash browns –"

The blonde laughs at that last line. He waits a moment before demanding, "Tell me what song that is!"

Kiba grins, showing off his too-long canine teeth (they were like Naruto's, only more dog-like than fox-like). "It's 'The Bad Touch' by the Bloodhound Gang. A remix of it, actually."

"It sounds pretty dirty."

"That's because it is," Kiba chuckles. "Anyway, the song amuses me because it makes me think of health class back in our freshman year. Remember, with that old coot Jiraiya as our teacher? Man, he was seriously one giant pedophile or something else even more perverted."

"You can say that again!" the blonde replies, taking his books up in his hands. He begins walking down the hall, Kiba in tow. The brunette was currently trying to shut off his Zune and tuck his earphones into his pocket.

"I came to school this morning and was like, 'Dude, I should totally listen to that song before class so that I can sing the lyrics right in people's ears. It'll annoy the hell out of them!' So I did, and I will." He was saying, but Naruto was hardly paying attention. His dream was still bugging him. There was a pause, then: "See ya man, I gotta go to Spanish class; ole!"

"Heh. See ya, Kiba." Naruto nods. He adjusts the weight of his books in his arms before sliding them into his bag, which hung limply over one arm. He walked into his first period class, which was art class with Miss Kurenai. It was weird, because at first glance you really wouldn't think the woman to be much of an art teacher. She looked… rugged? Strict? Maybe even a tad slutty? She was good at her job, though, so her looks hardly mattered. At least, they didn't matter much to Naruto. He admits to thinking her pretty attractive, what with her brown-red eyes like his uncle and her shimmering, wavy black hair and puckered red lips, but he wasn't into her like some of the other guys in the school were. He didn't care for age differences, especially ones so large. In his opinion, students and teachers together romantically is plain **wrong.**

As soon as he walked into the classroom, Naruto forgot all about his dream and went to sit between Sakura and the new guy, Sai. Sakura smiled pleasantly, her sky-blue-tinted emerald eyes dancing. "Hey, Naruto. Have fun at the movies last night?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I did. It was a pretty cool movie. We got to see to almost the end before Lee's constant chattering got us kicked out of the theatre. For a guy who's always pretty polite, he has to learn not to get so into the movie and ask so many questions," Naruto tells her with a smile.

"Sounds great! I wish I could've come…" Sakura pouts.

"Nah; it wasn't your kind of movie, Sakura."

She frowns and punches him lightly in the arm. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Shut up and sit down, everyone!" Kurenai barks. Everyone falls silent. "Alright, today we're going to be focusing on human anatomy. Each body type has a specific shape and proportion, so we're going to start with circles, ovals and other shapes to get the feel of what should go where. And I don't want to see any crude body parts stuck on or added, you hear me? We won't even draw the building blocks for the female body today because I don't want to see a bunch of you horny, immature guys drawing nipples on the bumps and giggling your heads off."

Miss Kurenai could be a real bitch as an art teacher, but she always cut to the chase and made projects go by quickly and without a hitch. She was indeed good at her job, and for that stoke of luck half of this class was actually decent as artists. Some of the students, though, were exceptional artists, hardly needing any practice on things like human anatomy; I.E. the new kid Sai.

Kurenai drew something on the overhead, along with a diagram next to it. "I want you all to sketch this as best you can…"

The way her hands made shadows on the overhead projector made her hands briefly take the appearance of a hawk. Naruto suddenly remembered his dream again. As he took out his sketching pencils and pad of paper, he whispered to Sakura, "I had a weird dream last night… want to hear it?"

"You know I do," Sakura whispers excitedly in reply. He had always come to her with his nightmares and fantasies and dreams. And each time he did so she would always listen and give her opinion. "What kind was it?"

"The symbolic, abnormal kind," Naruto replies with a confused tone. "In third-person view."

"So you didn't see things from your perspective like you normally do," Sakura clarifies.

Naruto nods his head. "Yup. But that wasn't the weird part… there was a bird that looked like a big canary with yellow-er feathers, and it was flying in a hurricane. Then there was a dark red cardinal-like bird that was flying in the cracks made by an earthquake. Suddenly the canary drops dead and after a moment explodes like a down pillow that got busted like a piñata. And in the feathery mess there's a boy who looks like me, but with no scars and he's naked and curled up in a ball like a fetus. It was freaking weird, because he stands up and starts walking towards the wreckage made by the earthquakes, and in the middle of it all there's that red bird again. It's lying down and the boy-who-looks-like-me calls it 'Resshin' and tells it to become 'reborn'. Then the cardinal explodes into a bunch of feathers like the canary had and there's another, different boy in the middle, curled up in the same position. And right before I can see who he is, I wake up."

Throughout the whole story Naruto had been unknowingly drawing with a red colored pencil a bird in the corner of his finished sketch, the cardinal that had represented Resshin.

Sakura whistled lowly. "That's quite the dream, Naru. And hey, didn't you say your e-pal nicknamed himself Resshin? And aren't you 'Shippuuden'?"

"Yeah. I think my brain made a dream about the two of us or something." The blonde says embarrassedly, although he had no clue as to why he felt that way.

"I think it's sweet," Sakura smiles. Her smile fades into a frown. "That's one dream I can't figure out, though. Normally I'm good with deciphering the meaning of dreams, but that one… Mm-mmeh," she hums at the end, making her flat hand rock side to side to show how wishy-washy she was about the dream's meaning.

"It's too weird, I know." Naruto agrees. "I have no idea what it's supposed to mean, either."

"Maybe I can help," Sai pipes up, giving the two a fright.

"Damn, Sai, you startled me," Naruto says, his hand melodramatically over his heart.

"Do you want my opinion on your dream or not?" the boy asks, his hands idly drawing.

Sakura slaps her hand over Naruto's mouth before he can even speak. "Yes, he does; please share your thoughts, Sai."

"Well…" the usually quiet boy starts, "I think it's abnormally poetic dream for a moron like Naruto to have –"

"Wh-what did you just –?!" Naruto tries, his voice rising. Sakura places her hand back on his mouth.

She smiles between grit teeth. "Keep going, Sai. Don't mind him."

Sai nods. "The poetic attributes of it aside, the dream is terribly symbolic like Uzumaki had mentioned. To me, the symbolism is very heartfelt and fragile like the birds. It shows a longing for freedom, but not secluded freedom. Whoever this e-mail partner is, Naruto obviously wants to meet him and help him in some way or another. If you want to get really into the dream, I'd say it shows that he's developing certain… feelings for this guy." He adds a fake smile at the end, hinting something that Naruto refused to believe.

"What? No. **No.** I'm not… that is… I mean… I don't even know who he is." The blonde says sadly.

The teacher pops up behind him then. "That's a good drawing of a bird. Who would've thought your talents lie more in drawing animals than humans and objects?"

"H-hi Miss K-Kurenai. You startled me…" Naruto stutters, his eye twitching in the smallest way.

"Stop talking and get working. You have a homework assignment I wrote up on the board that you seem to be ignoring. I suggest you get started on it before the period is up." She says while licking her teeth. She can be terribly persuasive at times.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara was not in the best of moods today. This morning he had woken up from the strangest dream…

In the dream, there were two birds: one was a dark yellow canary and the other was a dark red cardinal. The cardinal liked the earthquakes to fly in and out of, and the canary liked the eyes of hurricanes. But all of a sudden the cardinal got shot by a stone thrown at it by someone. He fell to the earth he loved so much, slowly fading away in the middle of a chasm made by an old earthquake. He couldn't see anything for his beady eyes were closed as pain coursed through his veins from his chest. But then a soft, caressing touch came to the cardinal's wing. 'Resshin, get up,' a beautifully gentle voice said. 'You have yet to be reborn.' The cardinal moved his eyes behind his lids, and then became very still. He died, but the death was short; because then he combusted, feathers scattering around everywhere to reveal the human boy the cardinal had been inside. Gaara noticed that this cardinal-boy looked almost exactly like him, except he was missing the layers of eyeliner and the long bangs; this boy displayed his tattoo openly. No, wait, it wasn't a tattoo… it was a scar, carved directly into the skin of his forehead. He stood slowly, shaking the red feathers from his pale skin. He turned around and searched for the owner of the beautiful voice that had called to him. The sun was hidden behind clouds, making everything dark and vague. But what he did see was another boy, his hair as bright golden yellow as the canary's feathers had been. The canary-boy's skin was more tan than his own, and his eyes were much too blue. But the dream-Gaara knew his name. 'Shippuuden,' he smiles softly. 'Have we been killed? I do not like being reborn as a human every other time I die. I much rather be the bird I was meant to be from birth.' 'I know, Resshin, but it is not your choice. Someone threw a stone at you, and the impact was felt even in the hurricane, so I fell from the skies along with you. However, I made sure to die first in order to meet you before we become reborn separate from one another and do not recognize each other.' A tan hand appeared in front of the cardinal-boy. 'Now come along, Resshin, we have much to discuss…'

That was the last thing of the dream Gaara could recollect. Everything before and after that point was a fuzzy. The redhead knew, though, that it was a dream based off of himself and his e-pal, and this scared him. What made his faceless, nameless, forced partner important enough to invade his dreams? And why did he look vaguely familiar? Sure, there were plenty of Arian-looking people around, and plenty were his age. But which Arian in his grade was Shippuuden? And why, in the dream, had Shippuuden's representation even been an Arian? Why not someone with brown hair and hazel eyes, or someone with black hair and blue eyes? Then again, Shippuuden was a very upbeat person, and you normally associate such behavior with sunny-haired, sky-eyed people. Nevertheless, it made not much sense to Gaara. What's more, why had Shippuuden spoken so… _lovingly_ to Resshin? And why had Gaara's representation spoke with the same tone?

Gaara's head was reeling with all these thoughts; therefore he hardly noticed when someone bumped into him in the hallway. He turned his eyes away from the detachment his thoughts allowed him long enough to distinguish who he had bumped. It was that cheerleader, Ino Yamanaka, which was in his Chemistry and History classes. "Watch where you're going, freak!" she snaps, straightening out her skirt and tossing her hair.

"I'm sorry," Gaara mumbles dully.

The girl blinks and raises a waxed eyebrow. "Wait, did you just… apologize?"

"Yes, I did. What's the big deal?" he inquires, adjusting his backpack strap.

"I just… ever since you've moved here, you haven't said much, and the things you have said have always been totally rude and kind of mean."

Gaara shrugs, looking up at the clock. The bell was going to ring in a minute or two.

Ino smiles complacently at him. "Look, it's alright; you didn't bump into me on purpose. You look kind of crappy and really out of it today, so it's really nothing. I'll see you 'round, Gaara." And then she's walking away, the sound of her shoes on the tiled floor echoing especially loud now that the hallway was nearly empty.

The encounter was odd and didn't last very long in Gaara's memory, but it occurred to him that everyone thought he was cold and quiet, the type to never say he was sorry when things were actually his fault. But, he realizes, this isn't him; not who he was inside, at any rate. Yet that is the label everyone gave him. Some schools would deem you a 'geek' or a 'Goth' or a 'jock' or a 'prep' or even 'druggie', but not at this school. They didn't even acknowledge much of the real threats like the 'gang bangers' known as the Akatsuki. Instead, they made you out to be someone with no name, only a description. At times they would judge you rightly, though at other times they were dead wrong.

Gaara walked into Technology class, not bothering to listen to what Iruka had to say. He was too caught up in his own thoughts and too focused on checking his e-mail (since he hadn't had the chance to last night) to pay attention.

When he had read what Shippuuden had to say, he wondered vaguely if he should mention the bird dream to him. In the end he decided wholly against telling him, though, because it sounded much too bizarre. Dreams like that isn't something you share with who they're about. Hence forth, he touched another topic that his personal hurricane had mentioned in the first paragraph.

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:** drunkenness_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_Without knowing it, Shippuuden, you have brought up a rather touchy subject. I can't remember if I've mentioned it to you before, and if I have I probably shouldn't have. Though, now that you've made it surface, I can't ignore it. _

_I am referring to, of 'course, your statement about your drunken uncle. I suppose that's what you meant the first time when you said you had a father that wasn't really your father; he's an adoptive parental figure, isn't he? That would make sense. Still, on that subject…_

_I hate drunks. My father was the abusive, angry drunk, and if you haven't already guessed, he took it all out on me. He would accuse me of things that were no where near my fault, and things of that nature. My brother is like your uncle; he's the happy kind of drunk, one who gets playful and tells jokes when he's not puking. I definitely prefer the happy drunk over the abusive sort, but in general I hate drinking. I was drunk once in eighth grade, and I made an uncorrectable mistake because of it. It's nothing too bad, I assure you, but it's… humiliating (to say the least). _

_You were right to 'vent' to me about this; I understand completely. I can't comfort you because I'm not good with that sort of thing, but perhaps you'll be comforted to know that I can empathize. After all, I live around alcoholics and 'party drinkers'. _

_Signed,  
Resshin_

_P.S. Yes, I do have Kakashi and we also started the experiment yesterday. I actually thought it wasn't all that bad. Although… my partner could have been a bit more cooperative on that first day._

Satisfied with his response, Gaara hit send and leaned back in his chair to see what everyone else was doing. It was nothing important, he realized; most were playing games online. It must be a free day.

o0o0o0o0o

During lunch, Sakura noticed something: Naruto was eating a lot more than usual. "What's up with you?" she asks. "Having a growth spurt?"

"He's just nervous about Chemistry next period," Kiba smirks.

"Yeah; Kiba here was telling me all about it. Apparently, Naruto is stuck with Mr. Doom and Gloom, Gaara Sabaku, for a lab partner." Shikamaru says between bites of his Jell-O pudding cup.

Sakura makes a face. "Oh yeah… he got in a fight with Gaara in our eighth grade year."

"They fought over how he pushed you down, if I remember correctly," Shikamaru states. "How troublesome; the guy you hate is the guy you have to work with for three days in a row, Naruto."

"Don't. Remind. Me." He snaps, framing each word. He grinds his teeth. "Damn! I realized something my Dad was saying to me the other day!"

"What'd he say?"

"He was saying something about this in the car when we went grocery shopping," the blonde explains. "He mentioned how much he hated one of the people he works with, but he has to act nice to them in order to get things done. I told him that'd never happen to me, and yet here I am, in the exact same situation! Somehow, that fact genuinely pisses me off."

"So what if you're in the same situation? It's simple: do what your Dad does and work with Gaara nicely, and this won't be half as hard as it could be," Sakura advises him.

"It'll be like playing make-believe," Chouji grins. "Pretend that he's a friend of yours and act accordingly. That way you both seemingly get along and your experiment will go by quickly."

"Easy for you to say!" Naruto retorts. "Have any of you talked to the guy? It's like conversing with a piece of road kill. He's practically dead on the outside."

"Then focus on his insides, since to you they should be 'alive'," Sakura urges. "Really, Naruto, this feud between the two of you should stop. It's been almost four years now."

"Yeah, but…"

"Stop it," Sakura frowns. "Trust us on this, okay?"

The blonde glances around the table at all the friends he had in this lunch hour, and he eventually sighs long and low through his nose. "Okay."


	9. Chapter 8: At A Standstill

Chapter 8: At A Standstill

_/one new mail message/ _

It flashed across his cell phone screen like a sign reading 'water' in the middle of a steaming hot jungle. There was no denying that Naruto was happy to see that it was from Resshin, and didn't even care that he was going to bring the device to class, despite how against school (and Kakashi's) rules that action is. He **had** to read this letter.

Upon entry to Kakashi's class, the first thing Naruto noticed was that his seat was preoccupied. The next thing he noticed was who was currently stealing it from him.

_Gaara. _

When he reached his seat, the redhead didn't hesitate to explain his actions to the blonde. He looked up, his unfeeling eyes peering directly into Naruto's like daggers. "I'm going to be blunt with you: we need to work together today without Inuzuka as a go-between, so I demand that you not ignore me. I need your cooperation for this experiment."

That was all he said before he lifted himself out of Naruto's chair and returned to his own desk, his facial features entirely vacant. Naruto blinked a few times before settling into his seat, his face contorting when he felt that the seat was warm. The crawling feeling revisits his skin, tingling from his legs all the way up to his arms. The blonde exhales and pulls his cell phone back out, hiding it in his lap. He tried to read his e-mail to calm his nerves, but Kakashi burst into the room before Naruto could read passed 'Dear Shippuuden'.

"Good afternoon, class. How 'bout we get right into sharing our data and filling out the chart?" the teachers asks, and most kids agree because they want to get everything that has to do with this experiment over with. "Great! Why don't we start with…?"

After the whole room (save for Kiba and Ino, since they didn't have information of their own) had went through their results and Kakashi recorded them on the giant poster chart, he gave them a new set of supplies and instructions before turning to the novel Naruto had caught him with yesterday.

Naruto reluctantly got up from his chair and took the empty one beside Gaara at the two-person table. The blonde forces a smile to the corners of his mouth, showing teeth and all. "Let's get started!"

"Wipe that smile off your face," the redhead says tersely. "I asked you to acknowledge me, not to be overly friendly. Your false enthusiasm is as insulting as when you ignore me." _I liked it better when you were tranquil yesterday, even if it was because I had to draw your blood._

"Sorry," Naruto murmurs. "My friends told me I should try acting friendly so that we can get this done faster."

Gaara sighed, his shoulders falling a fraction of an inch. "I don't need you to act friendly; I simply need you to work alongside me without a hitch."

"I can do that," Naruto informs the other teen. He looks over at the redhead, watching his milky-colored hands working about the supplies, rearranging them in some order or another. He was wearing midnight blue beneath his school uniform, a color Naruto recalls being Resshin's favorite. Every time he sees someone – anyone, even a girl – that's wearing that color, it makes him think of his e-pal of almost a week now. "So, um, what do we do first?"

"I need you to light the Bunsen burner and get water from the sink in this test tube half of the way full," Gaara instructs. He can't help but to add, "You would've known that if you had been listening to Mr. Hatake."

"Yeah, well, I didn't listen, okay? I was too inattentive in trying to read an e-mail." He flicks on the burner to a medium-sized flame before snatching the glass tube from his lab partner. With a huff he stands, paces over to the sink, fills the tube halfway full like Gaara had told him to do, and comes to sit back down with a similar huff.

"An e-mail from whom?" Gaara asks, trying to make small talk so that the job would be less uncomfortable.

Naruto blows air out his mouth, not much wanting to answer. Although he did answer, for he noted that Gaara was speaking a lot more than usual. "My assigned partner in that Faceless-and-Nameless program."

"Ah, I see."

Naruto had been wrong. It wasn't like conversing with road kill; it was like conversing with a brick wall. Only this brick wall liked to ask questions or reply back on occasion. "So…" Naruto began, also trying to make small talk. "How's your e-pal thing going for you? I bet you hardly talk to whoever you got."

"On the contrary," Gaara states, "I've e-mailed him quite a bit, and have said more than one paragraph each time. Not that you or anyone else would think I would do such a thing."

The blonde snorts. "Not really. You're pretty reserved, Gaara." He reaches over and mixed two chemicals that were listed in their data packet. He drops a few of them in the boiling water, studying how small amounts of greenish steam rise from the test tube.

"Very good you two," Kakashi grins, his novel lowered from his eyes to show a smile in them. "You're the first group to get that reaction. I'm proud."

Gaara ignores the teacher and continues to record something in the packet while Naruto smiles. "Thanks, teach!"

"I'm also proud that you to are getting along," the silver-haired man adds. "I knew you could accomplish a lot if you just –"

"Whoa there," Naruto interrupts, his smile fading. "We are _not_ getting along. We're practically barely tolerating each other."

Kakashi makes a face. "Isn't that a shame?" he remarks before walking away.

"'Isn't that a shame?'" Naruto repeats in a mocking tone. "It's like he wants us to feel guilty or something."

"Maybe you should," the redhead says after a moment or two of consideration. "We may have reached an impasse before, but I think now's the time to resolve it; at least for this experiment's sake."

The blonde turns to look quizzically at the boy. "Since when do you care if we get along or not?"

"Since my grade depended on it," he replies, pointing a long finger at the board. "See? It says under the grading portion: 'Ability to work well together –forty-five percent'. That's nearly half the grade."

"So that's what it comes down to, huh?" Naruto says stiffly while crossing his arms. "You don't care if someone hates you; you just care about your grade."

"For the most part, yes," Gaara replies just as stiffly. "I don't care what others think of me, I just care about getting into a good college far away from here. In order to do that, however, I must have the proper grades. Each major project helps add up to my goal."

"Is that why you're replying so much to your e-pal? You want the good grade?"

Gaara lets out a breath laced with frustration. "No."

"'No'? Is that all you have to say? 'No'?"

"No, I am not replying to him for only a good grade. Like Mr. Umino had wanted, it's become… personal."

All sense of rudeness seems to leave the blonde after hearing that. He cracks a grin. "Really? The ever-distant Gaara is actually getting personal with someone? With a real _human being_? I'm shocked," he adds with the same melodramatic motion to his heart like he had in art class.

He was in true shock when the faintest amount of color reached the redhead's face. "It's not like that. I merely mean this person can relate to me on some things, so it's become a more personal matter than simply typing to get a grade. Not that you would understand," Gaara adds coldly, "Seeing as how you only look at the surface of people and immediately hate them."

"Hey," Naruto snaps. He furrows his brows. "You're the only person I don't like, got it? Everyone else is fine with me! It seems you like to rub everyone the wrong way, including someone as easy-going as me."

They weren't even focusing on their experiment anymore. Gaara hardly tried to conceal his tone, either. It was no long nonchalant or quiet. "If you're so easy-going, then why did I 'rub you the wrong way'? What about me do you loathe so much? To be frank, I don't like or dislike anybody. In a sense, 'everyone else is fine with me' as well. But you… you want to make me hate you, don't you?"

"No! I don't want anyone to hate me, and I don't want to hate anyone either! I… don't know, okay? I don't know what issue I have with you. Maybe I have yet to heal from our fight or something."

At this point, they were loud enough in the buzzing classroom to be heard by all. The teacher comes over, laying a hand on each of their shoulders. He lowers himself between them, for once his jaw exposed (though no one was in the front of the room to see his mouth and the boys' hair blocked anyone from seeing him from the sides). "Let's take this out into the hall, alright, boys?"

The two nod, Gaara shrugging the teacher's hand from his shoulder. The three stand and leave the room. Out in the naked hallway, Kakashi plants a thoughtful hand over his chin and mouth. He turns his tall figure of to the side, one fist curling on his hip.

"Let's see now… do you get detention for disturbing the class, or should I let this slide?" he inquires, glancing with his good eye at the two teens.

"With all do respect, sir," Gaara begins, his voice low, "I don't want a detention on my record."

"Then what, I ask, should I do?"

"Let us work it out," Naruto suggests. "We can handle it."

"I'm sure Sabaku can, since he's the least temperamental of you two, but I'm not so sure about you, Uzumaki." Kakashi sighs. "Oh, the stresses of youth. How glad I am to be beyond it all." He sighs again. "Look, I think I'll give you to an extra day for this project like I did for Kiba and Ino. Because for today, I want you two to sit out here and work our your problems enough to get these experiments finished. Your deadline won't be Friday (er, well,_ tomorrow_) like everyone else, but instead Monday. Understand?"

"Yup."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, I'll be in the classroom at my desk if you need me. I'll first take care of your workspace and collect your data packet, of 'course, so that nothing goes too haywire. In the meantime, please, keep your voices as civil as possible and try to resist whacking each other." And with that the man left, stranding the two out in the hallway.

For the longest time, both boys stood in silence. What felt like 10 minutes that had gone by, a voice shatters the air with three words:

"At a standstill," Naruto mutters.

Gaara inclines his head. "Huh?"

The blonde doesn't respond for a moment. Instead he backs up against the wall and slides down it into sitting position, his forearms resting on his knees. "That's what my Dad would call it. We're 'at a standstill'. I never got what he had meant until now. It's like what you said… we've 'reached an impasse'." He pauses to make an ironic, breathless laugh. "God, this sucks."

Gaara comes and leans against the wall next to Naruto, his arms folded over his chest. "I won't lie to you: I'm a bit 'troubled', as Mr. Umino calls it. Especially after moving to Konoha from Sunagakure, my hometown. It was my birthday when we got into that fight; and my birthday is never a pleasant day for me. So I was in a terrible mood and set myself off, in turn making you land a blow to my face. I'm not sure who more at fault for our rivalry is: you or me. What I do know, however, is that we need to at least draw a truce if we don't want to both get detentions or worse."

"Right," Naruto nods. "Listen… I'm sorry about punching you back then and exploding in class just now. My emotions always get the better of me –"

"I can tell."

"– But I'm willing to call a truce." He stands and faces Gaara, holding out his hand. "So… truce?"

"Truce," Gaara says, but he hesitates in taking the other boy's hand. When he finally does, he grips it strongly like he had the day before.

Naruto felt a strange surge crawl up his arm from the contact, and it felt vaguely familiar. He shook the redhead's hand once before releasing it. "You know… you're really not that bad. I was wrong about you."

"Most people are."

Naruto smiles while scratching his cheek. "Then I'm sorry for being like 'most people'."

"Stop apologizing," Gaara says while looking away. "It's annoying. Calling a truce is sufficient."

"If you say so," the blonde shrugs. He glance sat the clock father down the hall. "We have 8 minutes to kill. Hope you don't mind that I read my e-mail."

"Go ahead."

Naruto smiles again and yanks his cell phone from his pocket. The smile fades, however, and a distressed expression took it's place. "Jeez," he murmurs to himself.

"What?" Gaara asks, having nothing better to do than to wonder why the blonde looked less cheerful.

"Ah, nothing!" he replies immediately. "I mean, it's nothing you'd like to know…"

Gaara inclines his head slightly to the right. "Does it have to do with your e-pal?"

"Yeah," Naruto nods slowly. "He leads a pretty difficult life."

"How so?"

The blonde's face twists up slightly. "I'd rather not say. He probably wouldn't like me blabbing his situation to someone. He's already pretty…" Naruto smiles as he thinks of the perfect earthquake pun. "_Shaken up_." He says with air quotes.

Gaara shrugs, the deadpan look on his face returning. "Whatever."

Naruto's eye fall back to the device in his hands. "I don't have time to reply now. It'll have to wait until I get home," he thinks aloud.

The redhead shrugs again, not caring. The bell was about to ring any minute.

Naruto points this out by saying, "We better go in and get our stuff."

"Yeah."

And that was the end of that.

o0o0o0o0o

After chugging an entire bottle of water and taking his pills, Gaara settled down to his computer to check his e-mail before starting a new book. What does he find waiting for him than a response from Shippuuden?

"The guy never gives up," Gaara says, a hint of a smile in his voice and behind his eyes. "What does he have to say this time around, I wonder?"

The redhead brought up iTunes and played 'Enlighten Me' by Masterplan, the harmonious rock music filling his ears. He opened the letter and began to read.

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com__  
__**Subject:**__ Re: drunkenness_

_Resshin,_

_I think I reread your last letter three or four times before I could think of anything to say. The first time I read it I was in the presence of someone else, so I couldn't really fathom everything you had typed up. Plus my cell phone distorts how e-mails look, so the real feel of that you were saying didn't quite touch me. But when I got home and hopped on my computer to look at the whole, real thing, I almost wanted to reach in through the computer and… I dunno… hug you or something. That's seriously messed up, man. Does everyone around you drink?! I'll say it again: that's messed up! Talk about your 'ACOA cases'. I feel like a moron now. Like, I feel stupid to complain compared to your situation. I'm sorry I brought it up…_

_Or maybe I'm not. Because, maybe, this is a good thing. You told me something that obviously bothers you, and that's a sign of someone opening up to someone else. I've been pretty open since letter 1, but aside from your poetry you've been sort of tight-lipped. I can almost see why, now. _

_You know what? Let's get off this topic. Today was kind of stressful for me (more stuff in Chemistry class), so let's talk about something else. Like… I had this dream last night that disturbed me. It wasn't scary or anything, but it was totally out of this world. I'm a little afraid to tell you what went on in the dream, though. So maybe that isn't the best topic. How about, instead, I say something else? Like, er… I'm listening to Nickelback right now. Did I put that on my list of favorite bands? If not, I really should have. They're a freaking awesome band. Every song I hear of theirs I totally love. Right now I'm listening to 'Next Contestant'. That song cracks me up; he's basically beating the shit out of people for flirting with his girlfriend. It's about over, though… next on the list is 'Side of a Bullet', I think; another cool song by them. _

_Jeez, I'm going on the rant again, aren't I? Hope you don't mind. I feel comfortable talking with you, I guess. Maybe it's because I don't know who you are, or maybe it's because I __**do**__ know you. Not your name or face, but I know _you_ the way you are. It makes no sense when I say it like that. I get the feeling you understand what I mean anyway. _

_Hey, can you send me another of your poems? I don't care what feeling or meaning it has behind it, I just feel like reading one. _

– _Shippuuden _

Gaara's lips twitched as if he wanted to smile again. He leans forward on his desk, his laptop screen coming fairly close to his eyes. He reads the letter again, conflicted emotions passing through his eyes. This boy really was very strange, always never knowing exactly what to say, and yet he always said just the right things. It touched Gaara in a weird way. He decided to write a new poem right then and there.

He opened a new document in Microsoft Word, didn't give it a title or anything, merely began writing. Vaguely his dream about the birds entered his mind as he wrote, but other than that he let his fingers fly across the keyboard as lines popped up into his head.

_Would you catch me if I fall?  
How come I don't feel free at all?  
Is there a reason why cages trap?  
Can comfort fill the gap?  
Don't tell me it's alright  
Because I know what  
My nightmares bring to me  
Late in the night._  
_  
I won't let you go  
Together we'll fall  
This edge is just the borderline  
But I want you to know  
That I'll save us this time  
__Through thick and thin  
__The whirlwind begins  
__Just let it swirl  
__Let the secrets unfurl  
__As we fall  
__And risk it all…_

_So this is what my life is:  
One long parade with a band member amiss  
But I don't mind, do you?  
After all, this show is all I can do _

_Don't remind me of what I've done  
Don't try and tell me what's to come  
I can feel it outright  
And my past haunts me at night  
So don't bother_

_Hum with me this song of woe  
Of missing you with no where left to go  
Let's confide in each other  
Before we fall into miserable weather  
But we'll tether_

_Even if the whirlwind has come again,  
__Spreading gusts of air and rain  
__But I don't mind, do you?  
__After all, falling through this is all we can do…  
__  
Perhaps comfort can fill the gap  
__Perhaps my cage has no reason to trap  
__But that's where you come in:  
__You can help me live again. _

When the poem looked finished, Gaara stared at it for the longest time. It felt as if he had written it just for Shippuuden, a letter to the other boy in poem format. On second thought, it was relatively vague and could easily be mistaken to be a poem directed at anyone. Yet Gaara no the notion that if he sent this poem (which he decided to name 'Whirlwind') he knew Shippuuden would figure out that it was meant for him. After all, another name for a tornado or hurricane is 'whirlwind'. Oddly, the redhead was not surprised that he had written a poem for his mysterious new friend – which he admits is that they were now. You would have thought that Gaara would be embarrassed to have written something almost considered a 'love poem' to a guy he didn't know, but it was quite the opposite: he felt a bit happy about it. He's never written something for someone else before, although his 'Sleepless' poem had been roughly about his father. That was precisely it, though: it had been **about** his father, not **for** him. This poem was both about and for Shippuuden.

Gaara decided to send it just how it was to the other boy. He might regret doing so later on, but at the moment he was satisfied with it's outcome and wanted to share the composition with his friend. So, he opened a new e-mail and sent it as so:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
_**Subject: **_Thanks_

_Dear Shippuuden__,_

_Thank you. You might not realize it, but your last letter helped me in some odd way. _

_Signed,  
__Resshin_

_P.S. __Attached there is a poem I wrote recently._

_**Attachments: **__Whirlwind_

The redhead hit 'send' before he could doubt himself. Then there was nothing to do but sit up in his bed and read his book, something a cousin of his told him to read: Birdwing by Rafe Martian. He felt it was an appropriate novel to start, seeing as how he had dreamt of birds last night.

Incubus began to play over the speakers of his laptop from iTunes. It felt oddly fitting in the moment Gaara was in, so he didn't turn it off or change the music.

He was hardly able to read much of the first chapter, however, when a pinging noise sounded from his computer. He had mail.

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com__  
__**Subject:**__ Um, You're Welcome_

_Resshin,_

_I… did? How? My last e-mail was pretty pointless in my eyes. On the other hand, if you feel that way, I can't argue with it. You're welcome, I guess._

_Again your poetry strikes a nerve. The good kind of nerve, mind you, but… It's weird, I get the impression that 'Whirlwind' was written for me,_ to_ me. Was it? To be honest, if it was, I don't know how I'd feel. I've never had anyone write a poem for me or to me before. Okay, I take that back: I did get a poem once. It was back in 5__th__ grade on Valentine's Day, and a girl my friend is dating now gave it to me. But it wasn't anything like what you wrote. It was one of those cute, short, 'I like you' poems. That's nothing like your poetry, not at all._

_Shit, I'm running out of things to say…except, maybe, I drew a bird in art class today. Miss Kurenai said it looked really super good, and said I should draw more for her, which is what I'm doing right now. I thought I'd try different kinds of birds… the one I had drawn was a cardinal, and now I'm thinking I should try something more fierce like a hawk. What do you think? _

– _Shippuuden _

_P.S. I'm printing out that poem and sticking it on my corkboard, haha. Hope that doesn't embarrass you. _

As short as it was, that was quite the e-mail. It made Gaara smile again, only in a strange glowing way that softened his eyes and made a tooth or two peek through his lips. It didn't embarrass him at all; it flattered him. What's more, he was relieved that again Shippuuden hadn't taken the poem the wrong way.

Coincidentally, he had drawn a bird. What was with the birds all of a sudden? First the dream, then the book, now Shippuuden is saying he was drawing them. Odd, very odd… because what does a bird stand for? Freedom, grace, peace, song, and all sorts of things depending on which species of bird you're thinking of. Freedom would be the American eagle; peace would be a white dove; a nightingale would be song; the list goes on and on. In his book, Birdwing, it was a swan; usually classified as 'grace'. Funny how all these references were appearing out of no where, and all at the same time.

Reflectively, Gaara turned his fingers to the keyboard to respond.

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject: **__Re: Um, You're Welcome_

_Dear Shippuuden__,_

_I can't quite explain how you helped me, you just did. And after reading your letter, I wrote that poem. Yes, in a matter of speaking, it was meant for you; don't ask me why, because even I don't know. It felt like a suitable thing to do, I suppose. _

_I think you should draw an oriole. You know, the birds with black and red with bright yellow beaks? Those have always been in my favorites. Or perhaps a kiwi; they're small and a bit jittery, but I think it'd look good drawn. _

_Signed,  
__Resshin_

_P.S. I'm not embarrassed. I'm glad you like it so much. _

About five minutes after sending that, another e-mail appeared in his inbox. Gaara frowned, not used to such quick replies. He clicked it and read:

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Re: Um, You're Welcome_

_Resshin,_

_Heh, you're not very talkative today, are you? You also seem… _softer_ than usual. Weird. _

_And hey, that's a great idea! I bet I could draw them pretty well; maybe I'll even get extra credit points for these. Thanks!_

_You know, Resshin, it hasn't been quite a week yet, and yet I really feel like I know you. Do you think we've met before at school and just don't realize it? Do you think, maybe, we're friends outside of this e-mail thing and simply haven't figured out we were writing to one another? Wait, that wouldn't work, because I think I remember you saying something about not having friends, or if you have some, not many. Gah, but I swear I know you outside of this! I just can't put my finger on who you could be…_

_I better forget about figuring it out, though. I don't think Mr. Umino would like it very much, even if I won't fail for figuring out who you are. That, and I don't think you want to know who I am, do you? You probably think I'll spill your secrets or something. I promise you I would never do anything like that, but you probably don't want to chance it. I can respect that. _

_Although I can't help but wonder… _

– _Shippuuden _

Gaara couldn't help but wonder, too. Who was his hurricane clothed inside of? Obviously he was lurking inside of someone Gaara knew, because he suspected something similar. He became aware of it after the first few letters: he knew this other boy, and had a sort of connection with him. He couldn't comprehend how or why or what kind, yet the connection is there. The redhead was connected enough, it seems, to even write poetry about this boy.

But… who is he?


	10. Chapter 9: Days Go By

Chapter 9: Days Go By

That first week turned into the first two as Friday came to a close. Four days before, on Monday, Gaara and Naruto had turned in their experiment's requirements and had gotten a well-earned A. Their truce had thinned some, but when they saw one another for the rest of the week Naruto had been moderately civil, and Gaara would nod or say a few brief words, none of which were rude or cruel in any way. Things hadn't gotten much better, although a foundation was forming, which is a positive thing indeed.

Sunday night arrived, completing a hair over two weeks with writing to Resshin. Naruto sat up in his room with some hot cocoa, the night being much colder than it was supposed to be. He draped a blanket over his shoulders and spun idly in his chair, surfing the internet. For a moment his eyes drift from the screen to land on his corkboard. A grin breaks out as he rereads part of the poem posted there.

_Hum with me this song of woe  
Of missing you with no where left to go  
Let's confide in each other  
Before we fall into miserable weather  
But we'll tether  
__Even if the whirlwind has come again,  
__Spreading gusts of air and rain  
__But I don't mind, do you?  
__After all, falling through this is all we can do…_

For reasons unknown, that was Naruto's favorite verse. It made his heart speed a smidgen every time he read it.

Speaking of Resshin's poetry, he hasn't sent a single one since, but that was fine. The blonde could always ask to hear one if he wanted to. At the moment, he was trying to think of anything to say to his earthquake… which, lately, he has been referring to Resshin as.

Sakura was teasing him yesterday about it, actually. It had slipped out, and she had been grinning madly like the Cheshire Cat. "'Your earthquake'? How adorable! You're totally falling for the guy!"

"I am not!" Naruto had replied while zipping his jacket up close to his neck. Last night had been a football game, so they had been walking to the stadium. "Besides, I still don't know if I like girls or guys…"

She waved that aside. "Psh, it really doesn't matter. I think you can just fall for whoever you want. I'm curious who he is, though…"

The blonde sneezed at that moment, making Sakura jump. He sniffed and buried his hands deeper into his pockets. "It's pretty cold today. Why are we going to a game when we know we're just going to freeze to death?"

"I'm going to support Ino," was Sakura's alibi. "And Lee, since he made the team."

"Didn't TenTen make the team, too?"

Sakura had laughed at that one. "Yeah; the only girl tough enough to! Yet she acts so girly…"

"But you forget that's he used to go hunting and fishing with her dad as a kid. The girl's a natural killer, which is exactly what they like in a football team here in Konoha." Naruto had pointed out.

Sakura had laughed and nodded her head in agreement, and they kept up that sort of conversation until they got to the game. Luckily the talk of e-pals from the Faceless-and-Nameless program didn't resurface, which was a relief to Naruto.

Even now he's a little ashamed of himself for letting that slip out, and have Sakura tease him about it. He was _not_ falling in love with Resshin; he's only know the guy for a couple weeks now, and even then he had no idea what his real name was.

He admits to really liking the guy, though. "He's so cool, and so smart, and writes so well… and he understands a lot of things about me…"

It's true, Resshin could thoroughly identify with Naruto. Both of them have had parents killed, kids who ignored them, rough living situations… the whole kit and caboodle. Of 'course, the blonde knew his life wasn't quite as rough as his e-pal's. But that's what he was there for: to comfort the other teen about it. Comforting people was something Naruto was relatively good at, and it showed.

Thinking back to his task at hand, Naruto lifted the mug of cocoa to his lips and took a hearty sip before checking his e-mail again. _Resshin wrote back…_ he thought fondly, his chest swelling. Without hesitation, he clicked the 'reply' button.

As of late, their e-mails have gotten passed deeper issues and were effortless and friendly, talking about likes and dislikes and pleasurable childhood memories. Resshin had a few really awesome ones, like going to the beach on the sea, seeing a relative at a get-together, or visiting a circus.

'_It wasn't all gruesome; sometimes, when my dad was sober and in a lighthearted mood, we would go out for dinner or ice cream or do something else fun. Most of those things were my older sister's idea, too; she was really the glue in our otherwise broken family.'_

Naruto had a few, too, most of them in the long past when his mother was alive. She had passed on in the summer between sixth and seventh grade. Seventh grade had been especially hard for him, yet eighth grade was the worst; not because of Gaara or any of the events in that year, either. Inwardly, eighth grade was simply really hard and hurtful for the blonde.

Presently, in his junior year, Naruto was fine; and getting better thanks to his e-pal.

"I ought to write a letter to Mr. Umino when this is all done and over with. He's one smart guy for making up this program!"

o0o0o0o0o

Another half week passes, the current date falling on Wednesday. With only a week and a half left of this Faceless-and-Nameless thing to do, Gaara was beginning to think that this wasn't so hard. He used to look forward to the ending of this chain of e-mailing, but now Gaara almost wishes it would last longer.

He hated his current living situation, though. The house was slowly emptying as Kankurou prepared to move out. In another day or two, his brother would be completely out of the house, and by next week Gaara would need a job. He was thinking working at some store or another, since that required less interaction with people than, say, waiting on tables at a restaurant.

It was abnormal the way his e-mails with Shippuuden have been progressing. Abnormal for someone like Gaara, anyhow. Every time he was near a computer, he felt compelled to check his mail messages…

Thursday came and went and Friday appeared, and Kankurou told his brother to take a sick day. "Let's play hooky," he winked. Gaara was not at all for it, being the good student and anti-social person that he has become. "Aw, come on bro, just like old times. Please?"

"It would be better with Temari here," the redhead grumbled, crossing his arms.

"I was going to surprise you, but I suppose there's no hiding it now. She's in town this weekend, starting today. I thought we'd all take a day off and spend it together before I move out tomorrow." Kankurou says, laying all the information out.

Gaara blinked once. "Truly?"

The brunette nods. "Yup."

Gaara allows that to sink in. "All at once I lose one sibling in the house and gain the other. Funny." Neither was laughing at it, though.

In the awkward silence that followed, Kankurou blew air out his mouth and began waving his arms at his sides, smacking his fists together in front and behind him. "Well… let's be going then, eh?"

His younger brother nods once. "Alright."

Meeting up with Temari, however, proved to be difficult; they bounced place to place as Temari kept calling them on Kankurou cell phone with where she had decided to be. "Why can't she stick with one meeting place?!" The brunette barked in a frustrated tone, snapping his cell phone shut with an angry click.

"This is why I never want to make plans with either of you," Gaara states monotonously with a small sigh.

"We'll work this out," Kankurou assures, although the way he rubbed his temples contradicted his words.

In the end they settled for meeting at a bar, Gaara's least favorite place in the world. Technically he shouldn't even be there, his age not quite at eighteen, let alone twenty-one. He had no choice or say in the matter except to sit at one of the tables and not drink. Temari walked in about fifteen minutes later, immediately ordering a strawberry daiquiri. Lucky for her she appeared the age of her fake ID.

She came and plopped herself down, drink and all, beside Gaara, giving him a big side-hug with her empty arm (the other bore her purse and drink). He winced at the contact, her perfume too strong for his taste and her skin too warm. "Oh, I missed you guys so much. College is fun sometimes, but mostly it sucks ass," he sighed, unlooping her arm from around Gaara and setting it down on the table. "I am _so_ tired."

"Tell me about it! I don't know how you earned enough money for your fancy-smancy college when I can hardly scrape together enough for KCC." Kankurou sighs, twirling his drink around in his hand. It was a virgin drink, for which Gaara was grateful.

"I stopped spending needless cash and started working two jobs. That's how to do it, Kankurou. You have much to learn." She teased.

"Then teach me, O Grasshopper," the brunette chuckles, giving her a small bow.

Gaara looked away, the atmosphere too much for him. He'd rather be anywhere else, preferably alone. Or maybe not entirely alone…

"Gaara?" Temari asks beside him. He turns his eyes to her dark teal ones, a blank look on his face. Temari softens, looking as if she wasn't going to say what she wanted to. "Want a sip? I made them put half the alcohol in this, so it's practically a slushy."

He shakes his head, his shaggy red hair bouncing slightly. "No thank you."

Temari gets a pouting look on her face. "Want me to buy you something virgin, then?"

"No, I'm not that thirsty."

The blonde girl sighs. "Fine, but you have to tell me what you're thinking about, then. I came home this weekend to spend time with you, I hope you know. Kankurou will be gone by tomorrow afternoon, and then it's just you and me. I was thinking I could take you out tomorrow, and –"

"That's not necessary."

"Gaara," Temari says, her tone changing. Kankurou winces; he knows what's coming and has his expectations on how Gaara will react. "You're spending time with me whether you like it or not. You can't emo out on me just because you believe it'll save you the heartache. I won't hurt you, no one will. So come with me somewhere on Saturday."

Well, that's wasn't half as bad as Kankurou thought it might be. Temari has changed quite a bit, because in the past she would use the same tone and not lighten up but instead get darker, making her words into a threat. So perhaps Gaara will react differently…

And he did. Gaara spoke softly, hardly able to be heard over the music and chatter going on in the bar. "You're absolutely right. In that case, I will accompany you."

She grins ear to ear. "That's what I like to hear!" she exclaims, nudging him once before finishing off her daiquiri. "Mm, I just thought of something. Remember that kid Nara or whatever? You know, the kid who's named after a deer? Well, turns out he's my e-mail partner. And here's the real kicker: I think I want to go out with him."

Kankurou spit out his drink, spraying it all over the table. He wipes his mouth with his sleeve before sputtering: "W-what?! He's, like, Gaara's age! You said so yourself that you don't like younger men, that they're immature and a waste of time."

"I know," Temari says stiffly, looking down at her empty glass. "But he's different than all the other guys I've met. He's intelligent – probably college level – and doesn't give a shit about everyone else. He's pretty lazy – it takes him forever to respond – but kind of funny. And I get the impression that he likes me a little bit. So I'm thinking I should ask to meet up with him."

Kankurou puts up his hands in defeat. "Hey, whatever floats your boat, sis."

She smiles. "Thanks for the support. Honestly, that EC for Psych 101 is the easiest I've ever done, and the month isn't even out yet. It's seriously like online dating, but more personal. It was retarded at first, but now… I like it." She pauses, sliding her glass to the edge of the table for a waitress to pick up. "You know, Gaara, I never got around to asking you about your e-pal. I called twice but the answering machine picked up both times, and you never replied to my e-mail or the text I sent you. I want to know what's going on with you and whoever you're interacting with."

Gaara adverts his eyes. He rests them on the interesting-looking wood grain of the table. "I got some guy who calls himself 'Shippuuden', and he's in my grade. For myself, I gave the name 'Resshin'. We've e-mailed a lot in the passed two and a half weeks, and you might even call him my friend."

Temari clasps her hands together and leans towards her brother. "Seriously? I'm happy for you, Gaara."

The redhead waves a hand, shoving that aside. "I'll take that virgin drink now, if you don't mind." He wanted the spotlight off of him. He never even meant to tell either of his siblings about Shippuuden, and yet he had all within seconds. Was Shippuuden's talkative, open nature rubbing off on him? He wasn't changing just because he was talking to someone, was he? Gaara shivered slightly at the thought. He couldn't let someone affect him so much; the last time he had, things had gone terribly sour.

Temari gets out of her chair and heads up to the bartender, asking for some virgin drink or another. She knew what Gaara liked, so he didn't worry about getting something that was a waste of money. When she returned, the blonde held a virgin margarita in her hand. "Here you are," she smiles faintly.

He takes the icy lime beverage from her and slurps part of it up, making sure it truly was virgin. He tasted no tequila, so the redhead figured he was safe to drink more. He found himself licking his lips to stop them from puckering; the lime was a bit tart given that it wasn't in season. The drink was oddly refreshing, though. Gaara swallowed more, feeling unpredictably thirsty for it. His sister grins at him, happy she made the right choice in drink.

Kankurou finishes off what he had been drinking before saying, "What did Dad have to say the last time you talked to him, Tem?"

Temari, out of the three of them, was the only one who bothered to keep in vague contact with their alcoholic parent. She shrugged and picked at the napkin her sweating daiquiri had been resting on. "Eh, same old, same old… he lost his job, downed too many beers, nearly killed himself from poisoning or driving. Between us, I think he won't live much longer. He's cutting the corners awfully thin."

The brunette nods solemnly. "Yeah, I figured as much."

"I don't get it…" Temari says with a shake of her head. "Here he was a respectable man who only drank a little on weekends to take the edge off, and then suddenly things come crashing down and he turns into some lowlife who blames everyone else for his problems and takes things out on –" she swallows hard, plainly holding back tears. She had been about to say, 'takes things out on his youngest son', but had stopped herself.

Gaara gives her a sideway glance, showing he didn't mind if she said it. It was the truth, and he had already told it to someone he didn't know. What did it matter if some stranger overheard them at the bar?

"– O-out on his own kid. What a dumbass our dad is," she adds bitterly. A sinister smile reaches Temari's lips. "I even wrote to Gaara in an e-mail not too long ago: if he died, I don't know if I'll cry. How horrible of a daughter am I to not even want to weep over her father?"

She wiped under her eyes to stop the mascara from running. Kankurou reaches across the table to pat her hand. "It's okay, Tem; you have every reason not to cry when he dies. I know I won't."

The blonde nods to herself. "I'm getting another drink," she informs her brothers after a while.

"Get me one, too. Not a virgin this time," Kankurou adds so that she wouldn't mistake his meaning.

"Will we all become alcoholics like our father?" Gaara utters, the first thing he's said since asking for a beverage.

Kankurou stares at him. "What? Fuck no! I just… want something to dull the pain, you know? I won't get drunk. I won't become like _him_. 'Sides, not all of us will be drunks; you don't even drink, Gaara. Only that one time, but after that, you never did again."

The redhead nods, his fingers tapping on the stem of his margarita glass. "I was stupid then."

"And had a low tolerance," Kankurou remarks with a snort.

Temari comes back at that instant, two glasses in hand. She grins as she sits down. "I feel like a waitress with how much I keep getting up and down."

"We won't be here much longer," Kankurou sates. "After this drink, I'm leaving."

"We all will," Temari nods, sipping her new drink (which was another strawberry daiquiri).

Gaara downs the last of his icy lime beverage before standing up. "I'll be in the bathroom," he says lowly. That was the last thing he said aloud all night.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto sat idly in his desk chair, turning it's swivel base side to side while he thought of something to say to Resshin. He wanted desperately to call the other teen instead of having all these non-verbal e-mail chats. He would much rather hear the liveliness of a voice than sit around reading one.

Out of the blue a thought pops into Naruto's head. _Why not ask Resshin for his number and give him a call? That way I can hear his voice and talk to him for real. _The rules never said anything against it, and he doubted he could figure out who a person was with a voice; he wasn't that clever.

Still, the idea of calling Resshin did sound pretty damn awesome…

Smirking deviously to himself, the blonde went and composed a new message on the Yahoo! Mail screen.

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophiHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Hey_

_Resshin,_

_Hey, could I get your number? I'm really tired with only reading what you have to say; I'd much rather hear your voice. The rules Mr. Umino gave us never said anything against calling our e-pals, and I don't think I'll know who you are by your voice; I'm not good at remembering those sorts of things. Besides, apart from that brief thought that I might know you, I don't think I do. So our identities should be safe, right? And if not, who cares?_

_Hope to hear from you soon!_

– _Shippuuden _

_P.S. My cell is (you know the area code already so I won't bother) 260-1228. I told you in case you didn't want me to have your number, which I would totally understand._

It sounded a tad dorky even to Naruto, yet it was the best he could do. He just hoped that Resshin would go to the trouble of going through with it. He hoped that Resshin was tired of the non-verbal chats and wanted to hear his voice as well.

It was later in the night and a Friday if that, but he still hoped the other boy would get the letter before tomorrow.

o0o0o0o0o

Coincidently, right before Gaara was about to leave the bar and he was sitting on the lid of one of the toilet seats, his text/IM/e-mail device went off, signaling that he had new mail. He opened it up and read it's short, sweet, and to-the-point contents. His eyes widened in the slightest way before he cleared his throat. What does he say to something like that? Part of him wanted to comply and call Shippuuden while the other part of him reminded the redhead of how terrible he was with holding a live conversation. Letters he could do because they took time, but verbal communication? Now that was another story. Sure, in Chemistry a couple weeks ago he had been relatively fine with conversing with Naruto (and that one day with Kiba), but it had been tricky and didn't last very long or end very well. And he had exchanged a few words with Ino or Kakashi or Iruka, but never has he been a 'phone-person'. Temari has even said so.

So what should he say…?

In the end, his reply letter looked like this:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject: **__Re: Hey_

_Dear Shippuuden__,_

_I imagine it couldn't hurt to try calling you, although I must warn that I am not usually one to chat as easily as I do on the internet, so you'll have to be patient with me. And you're right, I don't really want to give out my number; you'll have to wait until I call you to get it. It will be my home phone number, however; don't worry, I live mostly by myself now that my brother is moving out. I'll call you tomorrow around 7:00. _

_Signed,  
__Resshin_

o0o0o0o0o

As soon as Naruto had seen this appear on his screen, his heart skipped a tiny beat. An involuntarily wide, toothy grin takes over his face. He was actually going to be able to hear Resshin's voice and talk to him (almost) in person!

Suddenly his grin fades. Questions arise and begin plaguing his mind. _What will he sound like? Will I recognize his voice despite what I had thought?__ Will he recognize mine instead? Was this a mistake? Why did I want to hear his voice so dreadfully much to begin with? How come I'm asking so many questions over such a simple gesture? _

That last query, Naruto found, was the most puzzling. Why was he asking so many questions? He should be happy and go with the flow. In the end, this is exactly what he decided to do.

That, and sleep; for it was getting later and later and he was very tired.

o0o0o0o0o

Finally back in his own home, Gaara sighed and dropped to his sheets, his eyes closing before his head hit the pillow. Man, what a night… first Temari is back, then they talk about all sorts of crazy things, then he's drinking a virgin drink and wishing for once that it **wasn't **virgin, and then he's getting a peculiar (yet somehow welcomed) e-mail from Shippuuden about trying the phone instead of the computer screen.

A strange and fortunate turn of events was in order. Gaara was sure he wasn't ready for such a thing, and no he didn't mean the phone call. He meant everything in general, because he smelled in the air the wind of change. And that wind had a name and force, mainly at hurricane level. The redhead was uncomfortable with such a thought. He didn't much like the winds of change from the past, so why would that fact change now? And what, pray tell, was going to happen?

A shiver grazed Gaara's skin, creating hardly noticeable goose bumps across the surface. He was pretty sure that something very beneficial and something very detrimental was about to happen… he could feel it down in his bones.

Little did he know that it would come in one hefty package. _**A detrimental benefit.**_


	11. Chapter 10: This Is a Call

Chapter 8: At A Standstill

Chapter 10: This Is a Call

Thousand Foot Krutch, specifically their song 'This Is a Call', played over Naruto's speakers as he got dressed after a shower on Saturday morning. He had played the song on purpose, not at all realizing while he mouthed the words how true the lyrics were in this situation; especially the second verse. Which boy it applied to, Shippuuden or Resshin, no one could guess. Perhaps a smidge of both.

Naruto's face made soft expressions while his lips formed the shape of the words:

"He tells everyone a story,  
Because he thinks his life is boring,  
And he fights  
So you won't ignore him,  
Because that's his biggest fear;  
And he cries,  
But you'll rarely see him do it.  
He loves, but he's scared to use it,  
So he hides behind the music,

'Cause he likes it that way.  
And he knows  
He's so much more than worthless;  
He needs to find the surface,  
Because he's starting to get nervous…"

Looking through his closet passed the school uniform shirts, pants, and ties, Naruto finds all his jackets and casual wear. Did it really matter what you wore during a phone call? Did it give you extra luck if you looked decent?

The second chorus of the song came, and Naruto continues to lip sync the lyrics:

"He's calling out to you, this is a call; this is a call out,  
'Cause every time I fall down, I reach out to you.  
And I'm losing all control now, and my hazard signs are all out;  
I'm asking you to show me what this life is all about…"

He chose a dark, rich blue shirt with silver, white, and red accents and patterns spread across it, along with a pair of baggy black jeans. After trying this on, however, he decided against the black jeans and chose a much lighter pair that looked very faded down his knees, shins, and butt. It had a few extra pockets, two on one thigh and one on the other, just above his knees. He slipped his cell phone in the lone pocket to his right thigh, a pack of gum in his upper right by the zipper, and his Swiss army knife in one of the two lower right pockets. The knife was one of those kinds that had a relatively dull blade, a corkscrew, a pair of scissors, a pair of pliers, and a heavy-duty file hidden within it's metal oval shape. It had been his birth father's, was still bore a few battle scars across it's outer surface. Naruto carried it with him almost all the time, even at school; it was a luck charm of sorts, as well as a safety blanket. It was the only thing he had left of his parents besides a blue crystal pendant from his mother (which he wore under his shirt at all times).

Naruto turns off his music and picks up the discarded piles of clothing and damp towel that littered his carpet, dumping each into the respectable hamper in the bathroom and hallway closet. Then he turns to go downstairs and to the front door…

He knew he was about to leave the house, but on the top of the stair he pauses, unsure where he was going to go as soon as he left the house. Obviously he was going to walk to his destined place; no way in hell was he going to chance hopping in the Nissan again.

The blonde clicks his tongue, mulling over what his options within Konoha's city limits were. The lake, the arcade, the skate park, the roller skating rink, the movie theatre, the playground, the basketball hoops at the high school, a restaurant of nearly any kind of food you'd like… there was a bar and a club, too, but you have to be older than 17 for those, which Naruto was not.

He sighs and leans his arm against the banister of the stairs, his foot tapping. Where to go? There was plenty to do, but what was he in the mood for? _Truthfully, I want to talk to Resshin; now rather than later. _This, of 'course, was not an option, so he had to come up with something else. Like a multiple choice test, Naruto went with the eliminating strategy to figure out where to go.

_No really good movies came out lately, I don't feel like swinging, it's too cold to swim despite the sun, I was just at school yesterday so I'd rather not go back for basketball, I can't skateboard very well or use my bike on those ramps without hurting myself, I'm not hungry… all that's really left is the arcade or roller rink, it seems. _

Hence, about 20-or-so minutes later, the arcade is what Naruto found himself walking into. He decided against the roller rink, not wanting the embarrassment of stumbling around the circumference of the wooden floor; he hasn't skated in years.

The familiar pinging sound of old-fashioned games, the Japanese murmurs of DDR, and the zaps of laser tag filled the blonde's ears. He smelled stale pizza and Gatorade laced with the tart smells of sour-sweet candy. Ah, the atmosphere of gaming nostalgia… what a welcome feeling it had to it.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara, on the other hand, had bigger fish to fry than beating someone's high score. Currently he was being dragged to the mall 45 minutes away from Konohagakure , nearly halfway to the location of the Sound Academy. The mall, I assure you, is the last place Gaara would like to be. Yet this is precisely where Temari wanted to go to spend time with her younger brother, so this is where the reluctant redhead had to go.

"You'll have fun, I promise. There are a lot of activities to do worthy of your time at the mall, Gaara. And I'll take you to any store you like! Speaking of which, I need to stop at a few I like… mostly Rock America; I want some band tees. What about you? – Hey, want to cruise on over to Too Cool for some anime junk? Or maybe Barnes and Nobel for some books?" She pauses, waiting for a response as she watches the traffic. "Come on, Gaara, talk to me here…" his sister tries. For a split second she glanced sideways at the redhead, trying to get a glimpse of any sort of expression on his face. She frowned to herself when she found him sleeping. "You were up late again, weren't you?" Temari whispers to herself as she watches the road. She steals another quick look at his sleeping face before smiling and returning her gaze to the road ahead of her. "I'll take a few detours, then…"

She genuinely is a first-rate older sister. Sure, Temari has her faults (like her slight cockiness or her temper), but generally she is a decent gal. She knew how to take care of the people she cared about. In this case, it was to let her insomniac younger brother rest a tad longer.

Gingerly, the words came to her lips, words she had never gotten the chance to say… "I love you, little bro."

Out of the corner of her eyes she catches him twitch, his brows coming together briefly, along with the fingers on the hand that lap across his lap. But then all his features relaxed, as if he accepted the words. Temari knew, though, that if Gaara had been awake to hear them, he might have done something unpredictable. Maybe he would have stared at her coldly before she could even utter the words, or maybe he would have tensed up and braced himself, or maybe he would have come close to tears. Whatever his reaction could have been, Temari understood every reason why he would make it. No one has ever quite said something so kindhearted or sincere to the redhead in the past. One person had said that they loved him, a couple people have… but neither had meant it, and when they had spoken the words it had hurt Gaara. His sister knows that. She was different than Yashamaru and their father, very different; for when she said 'I love you', she meant it. She did love Gaara. Kankurou, too. As rough as she could be to them sometimes or when they were younger, and as many fights they have been in, all of it counted for naught when it came to how she felt deep down: out of everyone in the entire world, the only people Temari loved were her siblings.

While she drove in the car to the mall, thoughts like this crossed her brain like butterflies in a wildflower field. The ideas came and went as light as air, hardly bothering to be thought of for very long. Why? Because they were fact. Why think about things when you already knew them to be true?

The mall came into view, and Temari pulled over from the intersection in front of it to stop the car in the parking lot. As she pulled into an empty space, Gaara stirred. His eye fluttered open and a muffled yawn escaped his unperturbed lips. "Have we arrived?" he asks dimly.

Temari was startled by the abrupt sound of his voice. "Oh, you're awake! And yeah, we're here…"

The teen blinked his black eyelids a couple times. He stifled another yawn as he unbuckled himself and pushed the passenger door open. "Then in we go."

"Right," the college student says with a puckered brow. She sends Gaara a look that read: 'I just let you take a nice nap and you repay me by acting like you solely want this trip to be over with?'

However, the look goes unnoticed as the redhead walks up to the closest store they were parked at, which happened to be JC Penny. _A woman's store, _Gaara thinks while rolling his cool aquamarine eyes. Sure, there were plenty of manly things in JC Penny, but none of those things really mattered to Gaara; he'd much rather visit Barnes and Nobel, Hot Topic, or Too Cool. Or even Starbucks. Which, as a matter of fact, he could really go for right about now; perhaps a caramel frappichino or latte... In the meantime, he'd have to settle for the 'cinnamint' Orbit gum he had in his pocket. Cinnamon gum was one of Gaara's favorite things to taste, which was ironic considering what color his hair is. Just by looking at him you might think that he likes cinnamon flavored things, and it would be correct. How fitting.

"Let's skip Penny's, 'kay? I want to head straight for Rock America, and then we can go wherever you like." Temari informs him, and he vaguely nods in response.

Subsequent to this little interaction, and while Temari was browsing the many band tees at Rock America, Gaara found himself contemplating what he was supposed to say to Shippuuden when he called him later today. He kept dodging his second thoughts, trying not to bail out and in turn let the other boy down; he's had enough of that from other people in his life, and he didn't want to be the one doing that to someone else. Gaara was many things, but he was not heartless (despite what everyone thought of him). He was also not a liar or one to back out on his word; he had agreed to a phone call, so that is exactly what he was going to do. He simply had no clue as to what to say.

For starters, he should probably say 'Hello'. That was obvious. Next, he should probably make sure he had the right number by asking, 'Is this Shippuuden?' And finally, when they other replied, he should say something witty that would open up a topic of discussion. If Gaara was lucky, his e-pal would be just as talkative and ramble-prone as he was on the internet so that he wouldn't have to say much. In truth, the redhead wanted to listen and not speak too much; he was vigilant of Hurricane figuring out who he was as well as not capable with keeping up a conversation that involved saying much on his behalf. He preferred 'one-way conversations' that made it so he could listen and only utter a few words now and again to keep the other talking. Gaara hoped that, when the time came to call the mysterious other boy, this would be the circumstance.

Presently, though, he was intent on getting what he wanted done at the mall so that he could leave. It wasn't that Gaara disliked shopping; on the contrary, getting new items of any kind was enjoyable for him in a matter of speaking. Except… Gaara was not fond of crowds and high levels of noise. Noise being here the sound of people walking, chattering, laughing, shouting, and all around being busy. Since noise like that required crowds, and worthwhile places to be also required crowds, this led all those people to the mall; which, currently, Gaara stood inside a store of, wishing he had earplugs.

Some AC/DC song began playing over the store's speakers, the sound of Temari's singing reaching Gaara's already noise-overdosed eardrums. She was singing every word of the song, obviously enjoying herself while she shopped. The redhead sighs, wishing he could say the same.

"Gaara, do you like this Ted Nugent shirt, or…" she held up either one to her chest. "This one?"

"The first," Gaara replies dryly, personally preferring the design and colors of the first. It had orange on it.

"Really? I think so, too. Now, we should get Kankurou something from here or he'll be sore with us," the blonde winks. "What band do you think he'll want a shirt of?"

"Metallica," Gaara suggests. "Or an Ozzy shirt. Korn would be a wise choice; he's been listening to a lot of their music as of late. He even got me liking a few of their songs."

Temari grins. "Okay. Thanks, Gaara."

"Whatever," he murmurs, nodding vaguely. He turns to look for a Johnny Cash t-shirt. The redhead wasn't sure if he was going to buy one; he was merely curious to see the kinds of shirts they had for the deceased solo artist.

After a few things bad been bought at Rock America, Gaara asked (more like 'demanded') that they stop at the Starbucks in Barnes and Nobel, as well as browse some of the new releases there. "Sure thing," Temari nods. "I could use some coffee and a new book to read myself."

When Gaara had purchased about half a dozen books and two medium-sized orders of coffee, he seemed much brighter about the whole mall experience and allowed Temari to choose where they went next.

"Actually, I was thinking you could let me stop at Bath and Body Works… I need some girl stuff like shampoo and body wash and lotion."

"Fine," Gaara agreed, taking one last swing of his caffeinated beverage. He tossed the foam cup in a nearby trash can, a resounding _fwump_ echoing off the inside.

"I'll only be a few minutes, I swear," Temari adds, feeling as if she needed to reassure her younger brother. In truth, he couldn't care less; it doesn't matter where they went for how long. "And then we can mosey on over to Hot Topic!"

Somehow, he was enjoying time with his sister, even if he didn't show it in plain sight.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto paced his room while nervously nibbling at his cuticles. He didn't know why he felt this anxious. His heart his pounding up in his ears, the rush of blood sounding in his head. _Why am I getting so hung up over a phone call? It's not even 7:00 yet,_ the blonde thought indolently. Most of his thoughts, however, were concentrated on what on Earth he was going to say to the other teen.

"Hey Resshin!" he tried, looking into the full-length mirror that hung over his closet door. He frowned at his reflection. "That sounds kind of girly." Naruto sighs, starting over. "Resshin, right? Hey." He shook his head at himself, his gold locks falling in his eyes. He blew upwards to get them out of the way. "Way too aloof; saying 'hi' like that makes me sound like some druggie who doesn't give shit, which is totally the opposite of how I feel. Dammit!" Naruto grunts while scrubbing at his scalp.

The digital clock on his computer screen read 6:59. Had he really wasted 17 minutes pacing and talking to himself? How pathetic.

"I wonder if he'll even call on time…" Naruto mutters. "I mean, no one wants to seem over-eager, so it probably won't be 7:00 on the button, but…" he drifts off, losing his train of thought.

The blonde glances back over at the clock. _**It's only 7:01 p.m.,**_ it displayed irritably, _**So stop looking at me and be patient. **_

"It's not easy being patient!" He snaps at the clock, as if it had really spoken. "…Shoot, I'm losing my mind…"

A handful of minutes ticked by, each one being spent by counting the number of freckles Naruto found on his own skin. Yes, he has resorted to preoccupying himself in the lamest ways so not to fret so much over waiting for that phone call. He got up to 28 prior to hearing the sound of his cell's ringtone.

'**You can make me scream internally; you can make me breathe eternally; yeah… You see the things I cannot change, the things that make me plain. Lift me up my soul's so hollow… Lift me up…'**

At first, Naruto didn't even recognize the sound of 'Hollow' by Submersed. But when he had he was diving for his cell phone and flipping it open eagerly, not even bothering to see what the number was that had been calling. His breath caught in his throat like a fish on a hook as he spoke: "H-Hello?"

A voice, at precisely 7:09 p.m., answered with delicate calmness that Naruto automatically knew could only be Resshin. "Hello; this is Shippuuden's number, correct?"

"Y-yeah! That's me," Naruto smiles, forcing himself to take a seat on the side of his bed. "Resshin, right?"

"None other."

"Heh heh," Naruto chuckles breathlessly, "You sound like how I thought you would; all serious-like, I mean. Damn. This is a lot different than e-mailing, huh?"

"It is. Though to be honest, I'm much better with writing than speaking."

The fair-haired boy leans back on his bed, running a hand over his face due to how nervous he felt. He switches the ear he held his cellular phone to. "I don't mind. To be honest," he grins, snatching Resshin's phrase, "I'm probably much better with speaking in person to people than on the phone or internet combined. This'll have to do for now. And you know, I almost thought you might not call after all and I'd have to bitch you out in an e-mail demanding your number so that I could call you."

In his next words, Resshin nearly sounds amused. "If you did that, I might give you a wrong number on purpose."

"You wouldn't!" Naruto laughs with a mocking tone. "I'd kick your ass if you did that!"

"Then be thankful I actually called in the first place," Resshin says, light emotion touching his tone. "In fact, be thankful I got the number correct. That is an odd set of digits for a cell phone in this area."

Naruto nods. "Yeah, I know; Lord knows I've tried to change it, but the phone company for my phone won't let me."

"I'm lucky to not have to worry about that sort of thing," Resshin says. "I don't have a cell phone that uses a number. I more or less have a keypad attached to a screen that allows satellite internet for e-mailing, IM, and the like."

"Really? That's so cool! I know a few people at school who have stuff like that. I wanted one of those, but again: I'm better at talking," Naruto smiles. He frowns slightly. "It must have cost a lot."

"No," his e-pal replies nonchalantly. "My brother found a stable plan for it, so it doesn't cost as much. With all your talking," he teases (although his voice doesn't show it very much), "I assume you pay for more every month than I do."

"Nuh-uh!" the blonde retorts childishly. "I have a real shitty phone, so it costs, like, nothing. Besides, my dad is a relatively rich guy. Money is not too much of an issue for us aside from the credit card debt hidden up my dad's sleeve. He's getting it taken care of, though."

"That's fortunate," Resshin replies, a hint of something in his voice. Jealousy? Sadness?

"I guess so," Naruto shrugs, although the other teen could obviously not see it. "Growing up with my mom, though, was pretty rough financially. I'm a bit glad that my uncle stepped in after my mom passed. He always was the most successful of all my relations."

There was more negotiation of money problems and resolutions between the two boys, sighs coming from both of them periodically. Then talk fading into driving, cars, the likes and dislikes of each on sports, and so on. An hour passed in no time.

"Your voice sounds familiar," Resshin says suddenly. "Do you suppose we know one another after all?"

"Maybe," Naruto agrees. "I can't tell. No, I don't think you sound familiar… then again, I already said how crappy my cell phone is." He laughs. "It could be disorienting your voice, who knows? Frankly, I don't care. I like talking to you." He chuckles again, "Although, it feels like I'm saying a hell of a lot more than you are."

"I told you I wasn't the best at speaking on the phone," Resshin replies, a small smile in the background in his tone of voice. "I'm more of a listener."

"Then I guess we balance out," the blonde jokes. "You're a listener, and I'm a talker. Perfect match."

"You have a point," Resshin tells him after a short pause.

The hurricane scrunches up his nose. "It's a quarter to nine."

"I've noticed."

"Am I keeping you from doing anything?"

"Not really."

"That's good; 'cause I'm not sure I'm done with you yet. I have more to ask you."

"Like what? We're touched many a broad range of topics already."

The blonde nods. "Yeah, I know, but there's something that's driving me crazy…"

"What is it?" Resshin inquires, sounding genuinely interested in what Shippuuden had to ask.

"…Well, it's kind of cheesy and girly, but I'm wondering: have you even been in a relationship? Like, a romantic one? I know you sure can write a poem when you're in the mood that relates to that, but I was wondering whether or not it's from experience." Naruto admits. He scratches his cheek. "That's not too personal, is it?"

The earthquake goes silent on the other end of the line.

"Resshin? Are you still there?"

Even more of a pause, and Naruto was about to hang up when that deep, calm voice finally spoke: "No, I've never been in that kind of relationship. Or anything close for that matter."

"Oh…" Naruto says softly. "Sorry I asked, man."

Silence, although it was the sort that someone would shrug in place of words.

"Listen, if it's any consolation, I haven't, either. In the past one girl has liked me –"

"So you've said formerly in one of your letters."

"– But I've never pursued anyone or had anyone ask me out. Not that's I'm hideous, you know, just… I dunno, I just never got into that sort of relationship." He giggles a little nervously, "Actually, I don't even know what gender I prefer! I've never had the chance to figure it out…"

"I can understand that," Resshin informs him.

Naruto blinks on the other end of the call. "Really? That's encouraging, because I thought I was making no sense for a second there."

There is another pause, wasting 50 precious, slow moments. "It was a bit too personal of you to ask, by the way."

"Huh?" Naruto says with a start. He winces. "Yeah, I know. Sorry."

"No need to apologize. You didn't know."

Another silence, though this one wasn't as awkward. Naruto breaks it by saying, "Hmm, well, it's getting late… I should probably let you go…"

"You sound so unsure."

The blonde grins sheepishly. "'Cause I am. I know I don't have much more to say for now, and I know you're probably itching to be rid of me, yet I can't seem to let you go just yet."

"…I'm not sure I know how to interpret that, Shippuuden."

"Me either, even though I said it."

Yet another pause in the conversation…

"On second thought, I will get off the phone. We can't go around in circles like this forever. So… Bye, Resshin."

"Goodbye."

"I'll talk to you soon, alright? Expect me to be calling you randomly from now on!"

"From you," Resshin states, "I expect no less."

Naruto smiles to himself, his heart skipping a beat. "Bye now."

And then the phone clicked in his ear, signaling that the other had hung up. He shuts the cell phone with delicacy. As the blonde went about getting ready for bed, Resshin's smooth, profound voice rang in his head like a tuneless lullaby. It was even there while he slept, a low rumbling in the background of Naruto's dreams like the earthquake his e-pal was nicknamed for.


	12. Chapter 11: New Home

Chapter 8: At A Standstill

Chapter 11: New Home

Sakura grins madly. "Whoa, hold on: you mean you actually planned to call him on the phone to talk?"

"Er… yes?"

"Ohmigod! Naruto, that's too cute! It's like a date!" the pink-haired girl squealed softly, trying not to let anyone else hear her.

The blonde visibly flushed. "Wh-what?! No, it's not like that! I mean… e-mailing was getting old, you know? I wanted to hear what he had to say instead of read it. That's all," he insists. "Now if you'll excuse me, Sakura, I have more animal drawings to show Miss Kurenai for extra credit. This time I drew a fox, a raccoon, and a sparrow."

Sai, this entire time, had been secretly eavesdropping on Sakura's and Naruto's conversation. When the blonde had left, the pale artist turns to Sakura. "He's in denial, isn't he?"

A head snaps into attention and turns to face him, green-blue eyes full of surprise. "Hey, were you listening to what we were saying?" she accuses, shaking a finger at him. "Shame, shame!"

He shrugs. "It's hard _not_ to hear you," he lies. "Anyhow, Naruto's utterly in denial about this, isn't he?"

"About what?" Sakura knew what he was saying, yet she asked to double-check.

"About his feelings for his e-pal," Sai replies bluntly.

The pink-haired girl slowly nods. With a sigh, she tells him: "I'm pretty sure he doesn't comprehend what it is he's feeling. If you had known Naruto when he was younger, you'd understand why he's so confused. Plus, he had a point before when he said it 'wasn't like that' because he 'doesn't even know who this guy is'."

Sai looks down at his drawing, adding a few final touches. He gives a shrug-nod. "You're right; he does have a point there. In the end, however, he's probably nothing but a lovesick fag."

Sakura frowns and grinds her teeth. She punches Sai fiercely in the side, making him double over the work table. "Don't you dare call him that!" she barks, a miniature array of spit emitting from her mouth as she hisses the 'T' in "don't".

"I apologize," Sai grunts. He rubs the pain from his side. "Though you have to admit, it's pretty damn gay the way he –" He cut himself off when he saw the look growing on Sakura's face. "Er… I mean…" The artist pauses to find something to say that wasn't inappropriate. "Love is fickle, isn't it?"

The pink-haired girl's facial expression softens. She shrugs in agreement with his statement. "Yes, it truly is..."

Naruto returns at that moment, a grin on his face. "I wasn't doing too hot in art class… until today! All my drawing paid off! I'm glad I doodled the cardinal from my dream that one day…"

"You mean 'Resshin'?" Sakura smirks.

She enjoys the tiny pink that burns Naruto's ears at her words. He sits down quite rapidly, causing his stool to shake. It threatened to topple over under such sudden weight. Somehow, Naruto was able to hold it steady. The bell decided to ring 6 minutes following this action.

The blonde was the first one out the door.

O0o0o0o0o

Eerily, Gaara couldn't get Shippuuden's voice out of his head. The resonance of it kept ricocheting off the inner walls of his skull, repeating random phrases from their tête-à-tête the other night. It was seriously driving the redhead over the edge.

_Why in God's name is Shippuuden becoming such a… such a large chunk in my everyday life? Surely this will last only until this week is out… it's the final week in the month Mr. Umino gave us. Surely he'll leave my inbox (and my mind) as soon as the month is finished…_he sorts out logically. It didn't feel true. The way Shippuuden is, Gaara had a sinking feeling that things won't end so simply. The question was: _When the month gives out, do I want to dispose of him? _

Frankly, he wasn't sure. In some sordid, warped way, Gaara wanted Shippuuden to stick around longer than this final week. In that same sordid, warped way, he liked having Shippuuden there to bother him. It was an unusual, unexplained feeling Gaara got from his e-pal. It appeared that, in the 3 full weeks that the other boy has been speaking to him, Gaara found himself slowing opening up and removing the mask he thought he had created so solidly. It felt as if his armor – his protection from feeling too much and getting hurt, his outer shell that hid his emotions and kept him cruelly safe – was cracking and peeling away from the inside. He had thought the armor had been made of marble and his heart coated in diamond, yet he found his armor crumbling like sand and his heart beginning to break through the diamond as if it were brittle crystal.

_No! _he thought angrily, suddenly standing up in one of his classes (he was in such a daze that he didn't notice which he was in). He asked to be pardoned to the bathroom, and when he was alone in the hallway, Gaara let his features turn sour like they do on his birthday. _I will not become vulnerable, not again. I am not as weak as I once was… _

His tone faded, however, as he thought of a certain possibility: _What if this is my single chance to trust in someone? _He meant, of 'course, someone out side of his siblings, since for the most part he trusted Temari and Kankurou.

He realized in that instant one thing: _In order to trust, secrets must be banished. So if Shippuuden really wants to stay my 'friend' after the month is out, I have to arrange to meet him. I need to see for myself exactly who he is. _

O0o0o0o0o

Sasuke Uchiha was not a weak boy. He was strong-willed, unfazed by most of everything, over powering in his wits, and physically able to make a grown man cry out in pain. He had raven-colored hair and eyes so dark brown that everyone thought they were black. He had a gaze so piercing that it was said by his peers that he could see clear to your soul. For the ladies, it was clear to their hearts. He was tormented by the loss of his parents, reluctant in living with his brother, and missed seeing his cousins. He had been sent off to the Sound Academy for Boys, a private school ruled by a headmaster that goes by the name of Orochimaru. The physician and second-in-command, Kabuto, was someone to be seen frequently in the Headmaster's office, informing him about one thing or another.

It was frightening the way the Headmaster took a liking to Sasuke so quickly, although understandable since he had been constantly sending invites for the school since Sasuke was old enough to attend (which was in 6th grade). But the raven-haired teen had declined every time, not wanting to leave the best friend he had accidentally fallen for. Eventually, though, he was sent to the boarding school, and since day one he was plotting to run away.

To where, he had no idea; more than likely back to Konoha without his brother knowing. His brother had wanted a rival, Sasuke knew; because Sound raised kids to secretly hate the Akatsuki, a sort of mafia rising in Konohagakure . And as Sasuke well knew, his brother was a part of the college section of this gang. Another gang, however, was gathering in the back streets of Konoha known as the ANBU. It was against kids of the Sound Academy and members of the Akatsuki, and in a sense were considered the 'secret police of Konoha'.

The young Uchiha wanted to join this ANBU, giving his brother the rival he wanted, although in a diverse form. It was Sasuke's way of rebelling, a way of helping avenge his parents; who better to help him solve the real case of their death than a 'secret police'? It was just what he needed, what he _wanted_.

All he had to do now was abandon the snake-crested school uniform, pack his things, and ditch school for a day while he drove the countless miles back to Konoha.

Back to his hopes, his enemies, his friends, and his crush.

Sasuke was going_ home_.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto yawned as he typed up the last of his e-mail to Resshin. It contained the usual things: rambling about some stress or another, about some of the things he was liking or listening to as of late, and in this particular e-mail a hint about calling the earthquake later that day.

Without warning, Naruto's doorbell rang throughout the house. The blonde jumped, his nerves a little shaken by the sudden noise. "Coming!" he calls, hitting 'send' on his e-mail and clicking the screen off.

With short, light steps Naruto thumps down the stairs to the landing. He unlocks the deadbolt and the doorknob before yanking the whole thing open, a smile reaching his face to greet whoever was there.

He froze, however, when he saw who it was. "S-Sasuke?!"

"Can I live with you?"

A thick curtain of uncomfortable silence falls between them. Slowly, Naruto's brain digests the following things: Sasuke was standing in front of him; Sasuke was not supposed to be back; if Sasuke finds out about Resshin, he might get jealous; Sasuke had just asked something incomprehensible.

"C-c-come again?" The blonde blinked, forcing the words out with his suddenly useless tongue.

"Let me in. I know you want an explanation, dobe." He replies calmly, completely understanding his friend's shock. It was to be expected.

Naruto doesn't reply, he merely stands out of the way to allow Sasuke to enter. The runaway removes his shoes and trudges up the stairs, not bothering to jar Naruto out of his stupor.

Gradually the blonde comes to and closes the door. He adheres to Sasuke's example and goes up the stairs, finding Sasuke in the living room waiting for him. Out of nowhere, Naruto shoots into a series of questions: "Why are you back, Sasuke? How come you came straight to my house? Does Itachi know you're here? Did you get expelled from the Sound? …And what in the name of Ichiraku Ramen did you ask me at the door?!"

Sasuke sighs. "I should probably tell you the whole story, hn? It's complicated…"

"I have all day," Naruto frowns. "So spill it, Uchiha."

"Fine." He nods. _I was planning on telling you anyway; you were going to have to make time if you had none, because I'm only explaining all this shit once. _ "For starters, I was not expelled, I **escaped**. I'm back because I was creeped out by the Headmaster because he was rumored to be plotting to molest me, I missed my comrades, and I just plain hated it there. Itachi doesn't know I'm here, nor will he any time soon. I came straight to your house because you're the one person I trust the most; though, I bet you already knew that," he adds, adverting his eyes for a moment. Sasuke never blushed, but he could look embarrassed. Naruto looked down, realizing that meant that Sasuke's feelings for him still haven't faded. "Lastly, I asked if I could live with you and Kyuubi. Not for too long; it'll be temporary until I get a place of my own. I'm going to join the ANBU, Naruto."

The blonde practically exploded. "WHAT THE FUCK!"

Sasuke arches a dark eyebrow, his head cocking partially to the left. His body language clearly read, 'what's your issue?'

Naruto fully intended to elaborate on his reaction. He takes a deep breath, seats himself across from his old friend, and says: "That's quite the load of info to dump on someone, teme. Frankly, I don't know what to make of your last two statements." His spreads his legs apart and rest his elbows on his knees, his head coming to lay in his hands. Naruto blew frustrated air out his mouth. "You sure put me in a pickle this time."

The raven-haired teen nods, as if knowing all about the amount of shock something like that could create. "I figured you'd say something like that. Listen, Naruto…" The blonde looks up into his nearly black eyes. "I know this is awkward for you –" Said boy snorts. Sasuke ignored the interruption and keeps talking: "– But I need you to understand the situation: 'Sound Academy for Boys' equals 'bad for Sasuke'. 'Coming back home' equals 'good for Sasuke and all his friends'. 'Itachi knowing Sasuke is in the ANBU' equals 'impossible to avoid'. But 'Sasuke living with Naruto until things work out' all depends on you. Got it?"

"You talked in the third person."

The runaway rubs his temples. "Work with me here, Naruto. I'm trying to explain this to you the best that I can."

"Yeah, well, you're doing a pretty lousy job."

"Shut up. This is hard." Sasuke snaps.

Naruto straightens up. "Apparently so, because it wasn't hard for you to tell me how you felt last year!"

Sasuke stands erectly, pointing a finger at the blonde. "Hey! You weren't listening then, either! – It was the only way I could think to tell you!"

"Why couldn't you have liked Sakura?" Naruto complains. His voice lowers to almost inaudible. "I've grown to resent that day; for more reasons than one."

The raven-haired boy sighs heavily, his butt once again meeting with the couch cushions. "Me too, as a matter of fact."

The blonde looks at Sasuke, his cerulean orbs alit from the inside. (Oh, how Sasuke loved those eyes.) "Guess our friendship has yet to work out the kinks, huh, teme? Especially now that…"

Even though he didn't finish the sentence, Sasuke knew what he meant. He chuckles weakly, nearly on the boarder of being pathetic. "I guess so."

"Well…" Naruto ponders aloud. "Dad might not be the most supportive of this, or who knows, maybe he will be. You never know with him. Either way, I guess I'm okay with you living here for a while; so long as it's temporary like you said."

"Oh, believe me, it will be. You'll hardly even notice that I'm here. Although… I'll need Kyuubi's help: he has to re-enroll me in Konoha High without Itachi finding out."

"Psh, that's the easy part," Naruto says with a wave of one hand. "The hard part is telling everyone where you're staying and why you're back."

Sasuke shrugs. "I think I can handle that."

Yes, but can you handle Naruto 'supposedly' falling in love with someone he doesn't even know? That was one trial Sasuke didn't know was coming, and one he sure was not at all ready to face. No one knew this, though… not even Naruto himself. Like Sakura and Sai had predicted, he was denying any feelings that were growing inside of him for the ever-mysterious, poetic, tragic Resshin with the catastrophic heart.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara read the most recent of Shippuuden's e-mails, the strange thoughts from earlier that day seeming to melt out his ears and fall to the ground, forgotten by his brain. His hurricane had that effect on him: he was such an optimistic, funny guy whose aura spread like a cure for a disease. The redhead mused to himself how his e-pal always said the stupidest things, yet was wise in his own way.

He knew after reading that part of the e-mail that mentioned another phone conversation that Shippuuden wasn't going to let up any time soon. He was more than likely going to keep contacting and interacting with Gaara, constantly reaching out to grab a hold of the redhead and struggle to never let go.

And this scared Gaara.

He wasn't used to such a thing; he never before had someone act like this towards him. Maybe… maybe if Shippuuden knew that he was Gaara Sabaku, born of Suna, the 'cold-hearted monster of Konoha High', he might ease off.

Something told the redhead, however, that this was completely wrong. Something told him that because Shippuuden knew his 'soft side' due to al the poetry and stories from the past that were sent, he wouldn't care that 'Resshin' was indeed Gaara Sabaku.

Deep down, Gaara hoped that certain 'something' was correct.

The redhead sighed and picked up his fingers, ready to type a reply. Just as he was doing so, however, his phone began to ring. He picked it up dully, not caring who was on the other end. "Hello."

"Resshin? It's Shippuuden. Told you I'd call!"

He almost smiles. _Almost_. "Good to hear from you," he says airily, turning to get out of bed and away from his laptop.

"Actually, it probably isn't so 'good'. I have something… er, hypothetical… to ask you." Shippuuden states, sounding unsure.

"Oh? And what is that?"

"Let's say that my cousin has a close friend of his that ran away from college and wants to stay with him for a short period of time, but my cousin figured out that his friend has a sort of… er… crush on him. But he tries to over look it and let his friend stay, since that's what he felt was the right thing to do. What I wanna know is: was it right? – It's a weird situation, I know; I want someone's opinion on it, is all." Shippuuden rambles into Gaara's ear.

The redhead twists his face up for a second, able to automatically tell by Shippuuden's tone that his was not about his cousin at all. The twisted expression lasts a split second, though, and soon is replaced with a deadpan. "I suppose it was the right thing to do. Personally, I'd be very uncomfortable in that position and would have said 'no' to save myself the trouble of the multiple things that could blossom in such a situation."

There was a pause in which Hurricane absorbed this. Then his cheery voice was back. "Thanks! That helped m– my cousin a lot."

"Glad to be of service," he replies nonchalantly.

"…Resshin?"

"Hmm?" Gaara hums, beginning to waltz down the hallway towards the kitchen for an apple.

"Um… want to… uh… meet up after this whole month is over? That way we can be, like, real friends and… stuff."

Gaara froze mid-step, his want for an apple ancient history. The redhead's mind could only come up with one word: "Pardon?"

"What I mean is: I want to meet you! It's against the rules to meet right now or something, but this weekend I was hoping we could… uh… go play pool together. Yeah! 'Cause you like pool, right? So let's make plans to meet up at the arcade and put a face and name with our personas. Okay?" Shippuuden says slowly, figuring out the words as he went along.

Gaara blinks, his body falling against the wall of the hallway. "…Sure…"

"G-great! How about, um, Friday? Or Saturday or Sunday; whatever works for you."

"Friday is fine," the redhead states, trying to keep his cool. His head was beginning to swim, feeling light and dizzy at the thought of actually carrying out his plans to find out who Shippuuden is.

"What time? Maybe we should wait until after dinner or something… Like, uh, 8:00. I eat late on weekends," he adds.

Gaara nods to himself at the other end of the line as if that made perfect sense. "…Sure…" he repeats. He was starting to feel like a broken record.

"Hmm. We'll need a way to know who the other person is so that we don't get confused. Damn, now I wish I would've chosen something simple as my penname, like a color or something!" the redhead's e-pal laughs. "Wait, I got it! I have this one weird t-shirt that has an eye-looking thing on the back that almost looks like a hurricane. It's orange, too, my favorite color. Would that do?"

Gaara swallows, finding more words than solely 'sure'. "Yes, that would do. If I see you, I'll contact you first. Don't worry about trying to find me."

"Okay, that works!" A pause. "Heehee, for some reason I'm really happy about this. It'll be awesome meeting you, Resshin."

"Same to you…" Gaara replies vaguely. _Do I truly mean that?_

A smile is heard in Shippuuden's voice. "I got to go now, but I'll see you Friday. Bye, Resshin."

"Goodbye."

**Click.**

Distantly, Gaara recalled not wanting to feel vulnerable. Distantly, he recalled having armor being made of sand that was crumbling away bit by bit. Distantly, he recalled not wanting any of that to happen. Even more distantly, he recalled promising something to someone. But now… Now, things were changing. For better or for worse, Gaara felt himself shifting in his own skin, unsure what to bring out of the distance and what to stow away. In the end, he decided to shove it all aside and keep it distant, because when things are at a distance, you see them fully for what they are.

From the distance that he was standing, Gaara was mostly sure that Shippuuden was the first person to make him feel weak. From where he was standing, Gaara saw that Shippuuden was his first real friend, despite the circumstances.

And from where he was standing, he knew that detrimental benefit was lingering overhead like a piano about to come crashing down on a cartoon's head. What event would give him the thing he least wanted he wasn't sure. In his gut, however, he sensed that it was going to arrive sooner than his fateful meeting with his assigned Face-and-Nameless program partner.

o0o0o0o0o

The next day, Naruto woke up to the smell of bacon. Odd, he doesn't remember the last time his adopted parent had been up before him on a school day making breakfast. When he groggily strolled into the kitchen, he didn't find his half-uncle at the stove. Instead Kyuubi was sitting down reading the newspaper, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette (which means he must be stressed for the upcoming work to d that day at his job). At the stove in his father's place was Sasuke, oddly enough. Cooking bacon and eggs.

Naruto stared dumbfounded for a minute, wondering who the hell replaced his friends Sasuke for a housewife. "G'morning, dobe. Took you long enough to get your ass up!"

Okay, so perhaps it **was** Sasuke. Still, ever since last night when he 'moved in', Naruto had been wondering what would happen when the sun rose the next day. He discovers that he sun brought along with it strange new things…

The blonde plops himself down in his usual spot at the table. He yawns tiredly, trying to rub all the sleep out of his eyes. He didn't want to shower today, not when he knew Sasuke wasn't going to school and be distracted while he showered. "Why are you making breakfast?"

"Because I'm hungry and need to eat like every other human being out there."

Kyuubi chuckles at this, putting out his cigarette and washing down it's smoky flavor with the remainder of his coffee. "Nice one."

Naruto grumbles something about Sasuke making too much food for one person and how being a sarcastic dick will get him nowhere, but the raven-haired teen ignores him and continues to fry the last of the pig meat.

Vaguely Naruto went over in his mind the events of yesterday and how each event came into being. Sasuke coming to live with him? All from said boy running away from the Sound and hiding that fact from his older brother. Having a 'date' with Resshin on Friday? All thanks to Naruto for getting nervous about Sasuke and calling up his new friend when his old one went out to buy a few necessities, and saying after getting advice the first thing that came to his mind. The blonde does that a lot: he says the first thing that comes to mind, sometimes having it be a blunt statement or sometimes having it be a long explanation around things. In the case of his phone call from his cell to Resshin's house last night, the first thing he said was a question. A question that requested they meet after the month of this e-pal project was over. This brings Naruto back to the word 'date'. For some reason, he knew that this is what that meeting would become, and exactly what he wanted it to be despite the denial he was in about his fluttering heart.

"Here," Sasuke mutters as he sets a plate down in front of Naruto's face.

Hot steam grazed his skin and makes him blink out of his sleepy thoughts. "Oh… thanks, Sasuke."

"Hn," the other grunts. He turns to go back to the stove to serve himself.

Kyuubi folds the newspaper quite loudly and stands up. "I'm going to shove off to work. See you brats later. And Sasuke? Try not to burn the house down while me and Naruto are out."

"I shall resist the urge with all my being," Sasuke replies with a sly grin.

The businessman chuckles his deep, rumbling laugh and tosses the newspaper to the table. He walks out of the kitchen and steps down to the front door, yanking it open and shutting it hard behind him. The two teens could hear him whistling as he jingles his keys and heads out to his car.

Naruto's eyes fall to his plate, which he noticed was getting cool enough to eat now. He lifts his eating utensil from the wooden table and digs in, shoving food into his awaiting mouth. It tastes exceptionally scrumptious to Naruto this morning, and he finds himself with nothing left real soon. He stands and plops more down on his plate.

"You know, you're a lot quieter in the morning than I thought you'd be," Sasuke remarks, taking a gulp of orange juice from his glass.

"And you're a lot better of a cook than I thought you'd be," Naruto retorts, flashing his friend a smile.

The other shrugs. "Someone had to learn prior to Mom's death, and it sure as hell wasn't going to be Itachi. Besides, cooking breakfast food really ain't all that difficult."

Naruto snorts as he sits down with his second helping. "For you it's not."

"Damn straight."


	13. Chapter 12: Abandon

**A/N: eep. this chapter was hard so write for some reason. first i had one thing, then i had another, and i kept deleting (but then hitting ctrl z) and asking my sister about how things sounded, and i don't know how OOC i might have made the characters, and UUUHG... it was killing me (there was a lot of angst in the first verison). in the end, i made two different versions of this chapter and picked between the two. i'm still not satisfied, though. i can only hope that you guys are.**

**IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT THE OTHER VERSION OF THIS CHAPTER, PLEASE PM ME WITH YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU. don't worry, i won't spam you or give our your address or stalk you. all i ask is for a reply to the e-mail after you read it. and i also ask that you don't spam or stalk the return address (my e-mail), huhu. i trust you guys not to, though.**

**--if you do chose to read the other version, let me warn that it's quite different than what i ended up usuing, and it would have made the climax a lot more dramatic and strange. it was a very... 'conflicting' chapter to say the least. BUT REMEMBER: conflict then resolution! that's how plot lines go! **

* * *

Chapter 12: Abandon

School was uneventful as always. No one knew yet about Sasuke, and Naruto had sworn to keep it a secret. He was itching to tell someone about it, naturally; yet he miraculously resisted the impulse to shout it at the top of his lungs that Sasuke was back. He didn't even tell Sakura, even though Naruto trusted her above most everyone. Ino he definitely didn't tell, because she would spread it around the school faster than an air-born virus.

Lunch time for Naruto arrived. He leaned back in his seat against the huge, carpeted sitting steps outside the cafeteria, a root beer raised to his lips. He spoke into the plastic bottle while he said: "So, this is the last week for our Faceless-and-Nameless e-pals. How did everyone's month go?" At the end he slurps down a mouthful of the soda pop, promptly wiping his mouth after swallowing.

Kiba slipped his headphones off, music lowly blaring from the speakers. "Remember that spazzy girl I had? We stopped talking after two weeks because I didn't care about a thing she had to say. She was that one brunette girl in our Chem class… Matsuri, I think? Anyway, I'm probably getting a D or something on this project."

Shikamaru shrugged. "I think my e-pal wants to go out with me. But it's so troublesome to get together with someone who's in college."

Chouji munches on some Doritos. "I kept forgetting to check my e-mail. I was too busy playing Halo."

Naruto frowned and turned to his other friend. "Sakura? What about you and Lee? You at least kept e-mailing for the grade, right?"

She nods. "Yeah. But it looks like none of us had a solid relationship with or e-pal except you, Naru." She flashes him a wicked grin. "So, how is it between you and the ever-famous Resshin?"

The blonde tries his best not to blush. Instead, he feels his ears burning. "Oh, um, well… we're actually planning on meeting each other for real this Friday."

There was no disagreeing with the bright, eager look that came across the pink-haired girl's face. Even Kiba and Shika turned to raise a curious eyebrow at Naruto. Chouji didn't seem to care much; he was too intent on licking the fake cheese off his fingers. Sakura was the one to comment on hi remark. "Are you kidding?! That's great! It's like a blind date; much better than a phone call."

Naruto's cheeks tinted pink. He smacked her lightly on the arm. "Nuh-uh! We're j-just friends; it's not l-like that."

Still grinning, she adds, "For now."

That earned her another smack. Sakura hit him back, but not because she was angry. On the contrary, she was giggling insanely.

_Pfft, girls…_ Naruto grumbled in his head. _They like to take everything and twist it up into something romantic._

"Naruto," Sakura whispers in his ear suddenly, causing him to flinch.

"Huh? What?"

"Do you _like_ Resshin? – And don't lie to me or I swear I'll knock your teeth out." She adds at the end in a hiss.

Naruto feels his ears burn even redder. "Uh… h-he's my friend, so of 'c-course I like him…"

Sakura shakes her head, and being as close as she was to him, it tickled Naruto's shoulders. "No; you know what I mean. Do you think you're falling for him? Because I think you should tell him how you feel. I can see your ears blushing, by the way. Just because you can keep it from your face doesn't mean I can't spot it elsewhere." She beams at him. "Frankly, I'm glad that you might be falling in love with someone; it's about time a person walked into your life and you connect with them deeper than merely friends. I know Sasuke tried to do that; though we all know how** that** ended up…"

This is one of those moments everyone gets when they're extremely tempted to blab about someone's secret because that someone was mentioned by somebody. That sort of moment especially applies to Naruto; he's the type who finds it difficult to keep secrets. Promises he can keep, but secrets? Those were different. Especially secrets like this when he really-badly-very-much wanted to spill about Sasuke being back. Sakura of all people would want to know; actually, she might be mad that he hadn't told her the second Sasuke had come knocking on his door. He didn't give in, though. Naruto stayed strong. "Yeah… poor Sasuke…" was all he could think to say.

"Come on, now, you're not telling me if you like Resshin or not! I mean, recently I finally got Lee to tip me off about who he likes, but –"

"Wait, seriously? He wouldn't tell me when we went to the movies a couple weeks back; he kept avoiding the subject. Can you tell me, please, Sakura? I swear I won't tease him about it or tell anyone that I know!" Naruto begs, clasping his hands together in front of him. Kiba, Chouji and Shikamaru seem to have completely forgotten about the two of them. Lunch hour was ticking away, and if anything Naruto wanted to get to the bottom of things with Sakura.

The pink-haired girl sighs through her nose, an unsure look on her face. Something was going on behind her seafoam-green eyes, although Naruto could hardly guess what. "You're not still mad at Gaara, are you?"

His two blonde brows come together. "Where did that come from?"

Sakura bites her bottom look. "Er… from the fact that Gaara is the one Lee likes."

Utter silence.

Then: "WHAAAAAT?!"

o0o0o0o0o

'Time heals all wounds', people say. Gaara was beginning to wonder if that was a lie. His body ached at night in remembrance, his heart clenched painfully at the thought of never meeting his own mother (whom Temari and Kankurou say was the sweetest, nicest, most beautiful mother they've ever met), and certain peers of his refused to accept him.

_How much time does it take to heal these wounds, then?_ He wonders. _Or perhaps… who does it take to heal these wounds, and when will they come to me? _

The question left an impression on his brain as soon as he thought it. He glanced around, wondering who that 'who' could be of his schoolmates, if any of them. Maybe it was no one here, but instead someone in his far-away college-to-be. He could be destined to be alone, on the other hand. How depressing.

The redhead sighed to himself as he sat down in Chemistry later that after noon. Naruto strode in from lunch at that moment, laughing in a nervous, breathless way while he spoke to Kiba about something.

Gaara stiffened. He knew that nervous, breathless laugh… it sounded like…

Naruto sounded like Shippuuden.

The redhead shook himself. _That's ridiculous,_ he thinks logically. Dimly, his tattoo on his forehead prickled. _Uzumaki could never be Shippuuden. Shippuuden is much too… and anyway, Naruto doesn't like me very much. If he were my hurricane he wouldn't… Besides… _

Too many thoughts were running frantically through Gaara's head. He couldn't keep one thought on track without having another ram into it like a set of trains on one railway. Each new idea, excuse, and emotion in the redhead's mind crashed into another, fading in and out in a matter of minutes. Then, like a mallet on a mirror, Kakashi burst in and started class, causing Gaara's thoughts to shatter to the floor. He snapped into attention, getting out his textbook. The redhead opened it to the page Kakashi was currently mentioning to read the new chapter.

Yet his mind drifted back while he read the chapter he was assigned. _If Naruto were Shippuuden, a few things may make sense; like the orange he occasionally wears, or the e-pal he had with the supposedly 'rough' life, or how his e-pal was already 'shaken up'. It would also explain Mr. Hatake's reasoning for putting us together for that experiment a few weeks ago; he and Mr. Umino are best friends, and probably know all about who I was assigned to for the Faceless-and-Nameless program. I cannot picture him being Shippuuden, though! Naruto seems much too ditzy to be my hurricane. _

He banished all thoughts relating to Naruto being Shippuuden, however, realizing how outrageous it all was. Anyone could laugh like that and sound like how Shippuuden did over the phone; any male could, anyhow. To think up such random thoughts all because you heard someone laugh is plain silly.

o0o0o0o0o

It seemed less silly, however, when Gaara went to the library during study hall. Naruto was there at one of the computers, clacking away at the keyboard. Even at a distance Gaara could see that it was a Yahoo! Mail message composure page. Tiny black dots appeared as Naruto wrote an e-mail to someone, but dots were all Gaara could see from this far off.

Gingerly, the redhead took his book (a novel written by David Klass) to the tables near the computers, sitting down in plain view of Naruto's screen. _If I see that he's not writing to me, then my suspicions will be proven wrong and I can leave my mind at rest. _

He craned his neck, inclined it to the left, and made out the first few letters of the 'To' address: **"C…A…T…A…S…T…"**

_No, no! it can't be!_

**"R…O…P…H… I…C…"**

_Please tell me someone else uses the word 'catastrophic' in their username. Please._

**"H…E…A…R…T…"**

_Shit!!_

**"At yahoo dot com."**

_Shit, shit, shit. It is me that he's writing to. Well that's just fucking brilliant; he's Shippuuden and I have yet to meet him on Friday. I hope he doesn't have a freak out when he sees me. Maybe… maybe I shouldn't go. No, I can't do that. This changes noting; I will still write to Naruto no matter what; I had promised Mr. Umino that I'd do so._

His messenger device buzzed in his pocket, and he stole himself away to the sanctuary of the bookshelves to read the e-mail that was sent to him. He didn't have to check who it was from. He glanced in Naruto's direction, and the blonde's profile gave no sign of any emotion. He picked up his bag and headed out the door. Gaara watched him exit the library, but seconds after the blonde had left the bell rang, signaling the end of school. The sound startled him. He looks back down at his awaiting letter. _Might as well read it now._

It was a normal e-mail, like any other he's read from Shippuuden. Or, should he say, 'the Uzumaki kid'? Either way, it was from his assigned e-mail partner and it showed nothing out of the ordinary. Somehow, Gaara had expected worse.

The solitary out-of-place remark in the letter was a request to hear another poem, except this time over the phone._ 'I'm curious to hear how you read them since you wrote them. Seriously, I do a horrible job at reading poetry in my head or aloud. I bet you would make the lines come alive'. _

That's a terribly kind thing to say to someone. Gaara grinned faintly at the obsequiousness of the request. The smile soon faded, but it seems that even after recently finding out his identity, Shippuuden was still Shippuuden in Gaara's eyes. Sure, things may go haywire later on… although the redhead refused to let it get to him. He had let it for a moment there, which had not been wise. So Shippuuden was Naruto Uzumaki… so what? Things could be worse. At least Naruto didn't completely hate him any longer. _Things could be worse, indeed… particularly if I tell him that I know who he is. I must refrain from doing so._

In his reply, the redhead agreed to let the blonde hear a poem. It was the least he could do.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto ran a hand through his spiky locks, smiling appreciatively at Resshin's agreement to read him a poem aloud. He didn't quite know why, but he wanted very badly to hear Resshin's composed, cavernous voice read off the poetry he wrote so cordially. That was a lot of 'C' words, Naruto apprehends, though, somehow, they fit too well to change.

It occurred to the blonde that lately – within the past week – he had been wanting more and more of his e-pal. That is, he's been wanting to get more acquainted with the other by means of phone calls, additional poetry, and frequent e-mails (like they had sent that first day). It was challenging for Naruto to deduce the reason why he felt such need, such want, for another person; specifically another boy, which was odd in itself. The reasons were there, he knew; they were simply waiting in the back of his heart and mind, waiting to be revealed. He denied them this, though; he wasn't sure he capable of admitting his feelings to himself. It was just too… abnormal for him.

Obviously the blonde was capable of expressing affection; he showed it towards his friends and family in different ways all the time. It was more of a matter of the type of affection he was beginning to feel that he kept hidden. Naruto had never been in love in the past. He was almost positive that this is merely a fluke. Especially since Resshin was another dude…

Yet when he picked up the phone to call Resshin, his heart underwent rapid beating, which everyone knows is a sign that you might be crushing on someone. Naruto ignored the feeling and continued to dial Resshin's home phone number, which he had copied off his caller ID list.

One ring, two, three… four… then a voice answered. "Hello, Shippuuden."

"How did you know it was me?" the blonde grinned crookedly.

"I have caller ID." He stated it as if it were obvious; which it was.

"Oh, right…" Naruto chuckles lightly. "Um… How are you?"

"Fine, if not a tad frustrated."

"Really? Why?" the blonde asks, leaning back in his desk chair. It's a wonderful thing, hearing Resshin's voice again. He had such a pleasant tone…

"I'm having difficulty rhyming something while still holding the meaning I want."

"Get a thesaurus," Naruto offers.

"I'm trying to locate it as we speak, actually. Anyhow, how are you doing?" Resshin asks politely, although Naruto can hear an aggravated grunt-hum coming from the other end of the line.

"I'm doing okay. Nothing to complain about here… except maybe my homework. I should probably get on that."

There's a fraction of a smile in Resshin's voice. "You probably should. It's not wise to forget about your homework."

"I haven't forgotten," Shippuuden sniffs in protest. "In lamest terms, I'm procrastinating."

"That's not a very healthy habit to develop," Resshin scolds, although his tone remains level.

Naruto laughs. "Yeah, yeah… you're sounding like my dad."

A teeny silence follows suit. Suddenly, Resshin mutters, "Found it."

"Found what? The thesaurus?"

"Not only that, but I also find the proper word to use. Ironically, it was an obvious word all along."

"What word is it?" Naruto inquires.

"'Nuisance'."

"…And that rhymes with _what_ now?"

"'Remembrance'."

Naruto frowns in confusion. "So it's a poem about how it's bothersome to remember something?"

"Close enough," his e-pal replies, a slight shrug in his voice.

"Hey, speaking of poetry… think you can read me one now?" the blonde begs.

"Sure," Resshin agrees. "Let me find one…"

"It doesn't matter what it is," Naruto offers. "It can even be one I already know…"

"Here's one," Resshin says after a little while. "It's a set of lyrics I wrote once. I have no melody for them, but it shouldn't matter."

"That's cool; I didn't know you wrote lyrics, too. What's this song called?"

"I haven't thought of a title for it yet. I've been referring to it as 'Let It Be'."

Naruto grins. "That sounds really interesting. Please read it!"

"Alright."

There was a pause as Resshin prepares his throat, then his clear voice rang out in Naruto's ear. He sounded like he was someone else entirely; there was so much emotion, such a melodic way that he carried he voice, that the blonde found himself being sucked in from line one.

"The way it steadies my quaking breath  
The way it warms an empty death  
The way it captures every scent  
The way you came and went...

"It's like a sweet torture  
Which I gladly endure  
For every second that it comes by  
It's like a tidal wave, though I'm high and dry  
And I don't mind the way it settles my fears  
I just hate the way it causes you tears  
But the torture is sweet  
So let's let it be

"I don't know your mind  
I don't know your soul  
I can't force you to stay  
I can't allow you to go  
So please just let this be...

"Catastrophic memories  
Drowning in worries  
I still remember the way it warms death  
I still remember how to steady your breath  
So let's get caught up in the moment  
And let it be,  
Let's simply leave it be

"No, the sweet torture is too much for me  
I can't sit idly and leave it be  
Don't cry only for me  
Things can change  
They will change...

"But what happens when we fall out of range?  
Can it still capture every scent?  
Will it still steady my breath,  
Or warm the lifeless death?

"Don't let things change...  
Just leave them be  
Leave them to be..."

After he had finished, the blonde's barrier of denial shattered and his stomach flip-flopped once. It occurred to him that this boy – who reads poetry like an actor reading lines and who has been conversing so casually with him – is the one person he's been furtively seeking his whole life. It occurred to Naruto, in that instant, that he was truly in love. Short of breath and lacking saliva, Shippuuden swallowed and murmurs playfully: "Hot damn, Resshin, if that were on CD I'd totally buy it."

Resshin seems to shrug that off. "It's strictly basic; anyone could write something like that."

Naruto shakes his head. "That's not true. You're the sole person who could write something like that," he corrects. "And it's amazing."

"Hardly," the other mumbles, without a doubt flattered. It didn't show in his voice as much as it would in someone else's, though, because his tone had fallen back down to it's original flatness. Nonetheless, it was there; Naruto sensed it.

The phone conversation lasted a good 40 minutes more. The entire time they chatted, the blonde slowly grew sure of his feelings, and it made him uneasy. If Resshin knew that his hurricane was falling in love with him, would he want to meet on Friday in spite of that fact?

When they had hung up, Naruto came to a conclusion: _There's but one way to find out: I have to ask him myself. I'm going to send him an e-mail tomorrow about it. Tomorrow's Wednesday, two days before we're meant to meet up to play pool. That should give him plenty of time to think things over if I tell him. It'll be really embarrassing and risky, though…_

Yet 'risky' and 'embarrassing' are precisely the components needed when setting up a detrimental benefit.

o0o0o0o0o

The next day began with promise. The sky was clear, the wind was strong but comfortably cool, the sun warm and the birds were flying and chirping around everywhere. As the day wore on, no one much noticed the puffy white clouds that rolled in, collected, and tinted grey. No one noticed, that is, until a bout of lightening streaked across the once clear sky.

"A great amount of rain is on the way," Iruka commented with a sigh. "Alright, everyone, we can't have the lightening storm hurting our computers, so finish up whatever it is you're doing and turn 'em off."

The 3rd period Technology class made a series of moans and groans. They complied and began shutting down their computers. Naruto was the last to do so, however; he was trying to write a venting letter that he would not send but instead save to his draft box. It was for Resshin, obviously; who else does he e-mail as of late? But this message… this one was special compared to the others.

Suddenly, a giant crack of lightning befell the murmur of the classroom, making everyone scream or yell. The whole room went silent as every computer, shutting down or on, went black. The lights went along with it.

They school's backup generators kicked in after a few minutes, and oddly-colored lights turned on, though none of the computers did.

"Wh-what just h-happened?" a few kids stuttered, shaken by the noise and the temporary power outage.

Iruka took a few breaths to calm his nerves. Then, with long strides, he walked over to the window and peeled back the blinds to see what was going on. A giant branch from a tree had been struck, shrapnel scattered across the school lawn. The branch had fallen onto one of the main power lines connected the school, which explained why they were running on the generators. "Bad news, folks…" the teacher said with a sigh as he turned back to his students. "It looks like we'll be running on the backup generators for today. I hope none of you were on Word or e-mailing or doing anything message related; who know how the website or Word could have messed up what you were typing."

Naruto felt his face pale, probably even turn a hint green. He gingerly raised a hand. "If we were composing an e-mail and only anted it to go to 'draft', could it have been sent?"

Iruka frowns. "I'm almost positive that it would have been sent, yes," he replies.

"NOOO!" the blonde groans, smacking his head on his work station. The teacher looks puzzled but decides it's better not to ask.

_Fuckity fuckfuck. I mostly likely sent the one letter I never wanted Resshin to read. That's just peachy. Now he'll call me up all 'WTF'-like and demand answers, and I won't have any except, 'it was an accident!' But wait… what if he feels the same? That accident might be the best thing I've ever done. Oh damn, I hope it's the latter. _Naruto thinks hurriedly as he goes to his next period. _Either way, though, what's done is done and who knows? If I'm lucky, it wasn't sent. _

o0o0o0o0o

History, one of Gaara's last two periods, came around. As the class was about to end, his messaging device goes off in his pocket. He jumps in his skin, startled in the slightest. The redhead removes the object from his pocket, turning off it's alerting vibration. An e-mail from Shippuuden was waiting for him, apparently having been sent a few hours ago. Around the time of the power failure, he notes.

The redhead opens the letter. His light teal eyes move rapidly form side to side as his lips part in surprise at the e-mail's contents. It read:

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** rough draft_

_Resshin,_

_Okay, this is going to sound really stupid and insane. I'm warning you now so be prepared. It's extremely stupid and I probably won't end up sending this, but I need to get this off my chest before I see you Friday. Call it a 'venting' letter, but it's more like I'm trying to figure things out for myself._

_According to my friends, we're practically arranging a blind date. Which shouldn't sound so bad or stupid, but that's not what's going on here. See, they seem to think it's a date because they suspect that I'm slowly… uh…'developing feelings' for you or something. That was the stupid part, by the way. Now here comes the insane part: _

_I think they might be right. _

_The reason why I'm writing this isn't only to vent; the other reason was because, if I really do decide to send this, I want to see if you'll still agree to meet me on Friday after knowing how I feel. I don't know what your deal is on orientations or what kind of reputation you have, but I want you to know that if me kinda-sorta liking you ruins any of that, I'd understand if you'd want to cancel our game of billiards at the arcade…_

_Humph, Friday. I keep mentioning that. I guess it's because it'll be kind of a huge thing for me. If I say why, it might freak you out, so I'll be quiet. Plus, Mr. Umino wants us off the computers soon, which means I don't have time to explain it if I wanted to._

_Never mind, I'm just saving this to my draft folder. No way in hell I'm going to confess like this. I'll wait until after Friday and take things slow or something. Tell you in person or on the phone; it'd be more… what's the word? 'Sincere'? I think so. It'd be more sincere if I did that. _

_– Shippuuden_

For a full minute, Gaara couldn't speak or move. Then he stood from his seat in his desk, shell-shocked. He crashes his shoulder into his teacher, Asuma, on accident. Briefly he apologizes and asks to go to the bathroom. This sort of shocked stage was a strange and rare sight to see coming from someone like him, so Asuma nods and signs a pass for him.

Out in the hall, only one thought comes to mind:_ It's like he told me that he's in love with me._

It was more or less the truth. And this e-mail, this message he received, was indeed the detrimental benefit Gaara had feared would come. Naruto, unbeknownst to himself, had his own detrimental benefit awaiting him at home: one jealous Uchiha. Or, at least, soon-to-be jealous. He had yet to find out about Naruto's "date", let alone the accidentally sent letter.

Both of which at the moment was being questioned by Gaara. _I can't go through with this. I know I have a couple days left of the project to do, along with a meeting to make, but I can't do this. Not when he might… hold feelings for me. Not when those feelings might shift to complete hatred and rage when he sees that his Resshin is me. I know I promised Mr. Umino that I would keep writing to Naruto even if I figured out who he was, and for the smallest amount of time I kept that promise, but I can't take this any longer. I've reached my limit as a person. From this moment on… I'm abandoning the Faceless-and-Nameless project. My heart – by very being – can't stand to endure any more pain or become any more vulnerable. Because, sickeningly, I think I might feel the same, even if he hadn't meant for me to know. And I can't! I can let myself get injured over this… not after…_

His brain was spinning around in his skull, trying to organize his thoughts, block his memories, and mask his face of any emotion. The last thing proved to be the problematic. A tear formed in his lids, and the redhead immediately rubbed it out. He can't shed tears; he swore to himself long ago that he'd never cry again.

It seemed to ache to lean against the bathroom wall. He decided to ditch Theatre today and head straight home after next period. For his sake and for Shippuuden's, he was going to disconnect himself and not do much of anything for the next couple days… or possibly forever. Gaara was so sorry to do so; he had to do it, though, because he had to stay in control.

His outer shell may be crumbling like sand, but his inner wall shall stand strong. Gaara will not break. He will abandon what troubles him.

…Even if what troubles him could be the same person who might help rebuild him.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto hadn't meant to, but the stress and worry and surprise of everything that day came tumbling out his mouth in one long rant, Sasuke being the victim present to hear it all.

Unfortunately, the part about pretty much admitting his feelings for Resshin on accident and the other teen made Sasuke implode. His pale face seemed to turn red before fading back to normal. When it had been red, though, he grits his teeth and clenched his fists for one whole moment. As he calmed down, he stated his opinion on things, thinking this is what the blonde wanted as a response.

"Well now," he starts, his dark eyes looking at everything except his crush's face. "Lee liking that Gaara guy really isn't much of a surprise; the redhead ain't too bad looking and at least has the decency to not be an open book 24/7. Now, writing to your random e-pal about possible crushing on them? That's a different story. What the hell were you thinking?!"

Naruto looks down. "Nothing, really. I mean, I was thinking about what Sakura had asked and what Sai had said a while back and how true it seemed to be… so I wrote to Resshin about it. I figured he wouldn't care, you know? Maybe… possibly… _hopefully_… he feels the same way, and I was right to say something."

"Gah! You really **are** a dobe! What if this guy _doesn't_ feel the same, huh? Unrequited love would be a real bitch for you, I can just see it. What's more, you don't know who he is! What if he's really ugly, or a total druggie loser, or part of one of the gangs? What would you do then, lover boy?" Sasuke snaps. His eyes literally flickered green in their depths of nearly-black. Green with envy. Talk about your 'green-eyed monsters'.

The blonde shrinks back, practically crawling inside of himself. "I… I don't know." He looks up at his friend. "You're pissed." He adds matter-of-factly.

"Ya think? I'm actually steaming with jealousy and not anger." Sasuke puts an ironic smile on his lips. "Man… if all I had to do to get you to fall for me was write some lame-ass poetry and not tell you my name, then I would've done that to begin with."

"Resshin's poetry isn't 'lame-ass'! It's really good, I'll have you know!"

"I know, okay? I saw it on your corkboard in your room. I was wondering what the hell it was about or where you got it, but now I understand!" The Uchiha was obviously not pleased. For the rest of the day, he wished he had never come back to Konoha… and especially not back to Naruto. His heart dropped like lead to his toes and stayed there. If he had never come back, he wouldn't be feeling in relation to a cow pile right now.

Naruto, on the other hand, was turning into an all-out worrywart. He was worried about what Resshin would write (or say) back to him in case Iruka was right and the letter had transmitted, worried what Sasuke was going to do or say next, and worried what the hell his father had to say about the whole situation. Kyuubi, he knew, always has wished that Naruto would swing towards the ladies…

_Too late now, eh?_ He thought with a sardonic smile on his lips. The grin vanished when he heard his raven-haired friend down on the couch watching TV. _Sasuke… I should have known better than to say anything to you._ He apologizes, although he knew Sasuke couldn't read his thoughts (thank God for that). _I guess, for a second there, I forgot that he… liked me… and just thought of his as my best friend, which officially he is. Our relationship hasn't changed too much despite what he feels. Wait… shit! That's what he meant when he mentioned unrequited love being a bitch. He was speaking from experience. Damn, Sasuke, I'm sorry... again._

The blonde shakes his head. He continues to pace his room, slowly counting the minutes that rolled by. No response. He waited hours, but nothing ever came. Not a call or e-mail from Resshin regarding the letter he thought he might have sent earlier that day. So maybe… maybe Resshin hadn't gotten it after all.

This is all Naruto could hope for.


	14. Chapter 13: Creating a Sense of Balance

Chapter 13: Creating a Sense of Balance

"Dad!" Naruto hollered to the living room from his bedroom. "Turn that Mindless Self Indulgence shit off! I'm getting a headache."

"Ignore him, Kyuubi!" Sasuke chuckles. "He's just being a spoilsport. Turn it up instead!"

"I hear that!" the russet-orange haired man says with a smirk in his reply. Of all things, why did Sasuke and Kyuubi have to have the same taste in music? The current song, 'Shut Me Up', was killing off the blonde's brain cells bit by bit. After a while the noise subsided and Naruto sighed in relief. To his dismay, the pause was only a break in which another song by the same artist was being chosen. A song Naruto found much more aggravating came on: 'Stupid MF'. Then, somehow, a worse song to play while having a headache: 'Bitches'.

The boy moaned and stuffed his pillow over his head, wishing that Kyuubi and Sasuke never lived here, and that he owned this home alone. Or, at least, that Sasuke had never run away and that Kyuubi was off on a business trip; that sure as hell would work in the blonde's favor. At the moment he wished for anything to make his headache disappear faster.

The last thing he needed were the next few songs that played like fingernails on a chalkboard in his head. 'Kill The Rock', 'Faggot', and 'Straight To Video' being the nails to do the job.

_I swear I'm going to murder them in their sleep for this,_ Naruto grumbles to himself. _It feels like my skull is splitting in half! Why aren't those pain killers kicking in yet? I want this migraine gone NOW, dammit!_

Trying to ease the aching, the blonde rubs his temples in small circles. What he wouldn't give for earplugs right about now… Not that Mindless Self Indulgence is a bad band or anything; it just wasn't what Naruto preferred. Especially not presently.

It didn't alleviate the situation that it was pouring cats and dogs outside. Iruka had been right; 'a great amount of rain' came and hasn't stopped since 3:00. Thunder boomed outside and shook the walls of Naruto's bedroom. The thunder also seemed to reverberate inside his skull, sending dull waves of pain throughout. "What the hell brought on this headache, anyway?" The blonde moaned. "I drank plenty of water, so it's not dehydration… I ate plenty of food today, so it's not hunger… the music really isn't **that** loud… Uhg, so what is it?"

In truth, though he didn't know it, the headache is due to stress. Stress migraines are usually caused when your heart is entirely fretting over one specific thing. The one 'thing' should be relatively obvious, but Naruto couldn't put his finger on it. The pain made his mind process things at a slower rate. At one point the blonde simply fell asleep, the pain killers and exhaustion kicking in. Unfortunately, he forgot about the small amount of homework he had left to do. It hardly mattered now.

Hazily, a dream crept into the recesses of Naruto's mind. It started off much too bright and blurry to tell what it was, but eventually recognizable images were produced. It was that yellow canary again, only it was wandering (more like flying, come to think of it) around aimlessly in the earthquake-barren land for the cardinal-like bird. 'Where have you gone, Resshin?' the bird asked, water forming in it's beady blue eyes. 'You haven't been reborn without me, have you?' It did not cry, because birds cannot cry, yet it was filled with sorrow. In his sleep, Naruto frowned with worry like the golden yellow bird. Shippuuden continued to wander, searching endlessly for the other bird he cared so much about. For the other bird he loved. 'Resshin, please return to me…' it murmured, a mournful whistle escaping it's beak at the end. Suddenly a drop landed on the tip of it's wing, and it looked up to see it's hurricane breaking up and turning into storm clouds. Steady rain, chilling but calming, began to drizzle down upon the canary-like bird. It sighed to itself and walked over to a gap in the rock made by some previous earthquake. It took shelter there and waited. Waited. _Waited._ The bird waited for the rain to cease, waited for a sign of red or flicker of a wing, waited to perhaps see Resshin's human form. Anything… it waited for anything that gave it hope.

The dream remained like that until the end, where someone came up behind the canary in the rain and covered it's eyes. 'Guess who?' a voice asked, an unfittingly playful tone highlighting it. 'Resshin!' the golden bird gasped in reply. 'Correct,' replied the other. He scooped the bird up in his pale hands to make it face him. 'I apologize for dying again without you. I ought to stop doing that,' his rich, lovely voice says sheepishly. The canary cannot see the human Resshin's face through the rain, but he is able to catch faded red hair in the dim lighting. 'It's quite all right,' Shippuuden chirps. 'I'm glad you found me again. Perhaps now I can join you…'

Naruto stirred awake and rubbed his groggy eyes, trying to open them. The sky was dark through his window, although his alarm clock displayed 6:30. Technically he had overslept, but the blonde hardly cared. It was Thursday… which meant he'll be meeting his e-pal in one more day!

This thought excited him. Naruto jumps out of bed and heads for the bathroom, intending to take a quick shower. Soon he is donning his school uniform and racing out the door to catch his bus, a Pop Tart dangling from his mouth (the other wrapped in it's foil bag in his pocket).

On the bus ride, his mind drifted back to the dream he had had the in the night. _With all these weird dreams I'm starting to feel like a narcoleptic. Because don't they, like, fall into deep sleep or sometimes have hallucinations? That's what those dreams feel like; they're so realistic-looking, but so unusual…_ He thought while the headphones connected to his iPod made his eardrums vibrate.

When first and second period blew by like the last dregs of rain from last night's storm, Naruto was almost surprised to find himself sitting at his computer in third period Technology. Where has the morning gone? Was he really so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed what his teachers had been saying and what his classes had been doing for the passed few hours?

With a shake of the head the blonde logged onto his computer. Iruka started to say something, although Naruto was hardly paying attention. "We lost some information during the sudden power outage, so a few files may be missing. Don't fuss over it, though; everything is backed up all the time, so we should have all those files back by the end of the day or by tomorrow."

Relieved sighs filled the room, but Naruto was too intent on sending an e-mail to Resshin. His earthquake never really sends letters first, and hopefully he hadn't gotten the accident from yesterday. If he had he would have said something, right? But then again… what do you say to a thing like that? It would (more likely than not) cause for pause; it was an uncomfortable topic of sorts to receive an e-mail of.

…If it was sent at all, that is. Naruto still had no idea if his meant-to-be-a-draft letter was sent to Resshin. Sadly, it had been; we all know that. But the blonde does not.

Originally, Naruto didn't know what to say. He started typing randomly to free his fingers, trying to get out his 'writer's block'. _Resshin asdfjkl; 123ABC hey guess what nowaitnevermindI'mjustkidding; haha heehee hohoho. oh noes! no way! qwertyuiop zxcvbnm, gahhh… xXxXx yours yours yours – Shippuuden_

He held down the backspace key and watched the entire script wipe from the message screen. Naruto cracks his knuckles, an irritated hum buzzing in the back of his throat. "Okay… okay… I think I know what to write now…" he whispers to himself, but Iruka had been walking by as he did so.

"Everything all right, Uzumaki?" the tan man asks, tugging on a lock of blonde hair.

"Yip!" he yelps at the sudden tug. He turns to look up at his teacher, his eyes falling on the long horizontal scar across his nose. "H-hi Mr. Umino… what's up?"

"I asked if everything was all right. No troubles on your last couple days of the Faceless-and-Nameless project, correct?"

"Er… no! No, everything is just fine! I was just about to write something to Resshin, in fact." He informs the man, a grin stretching out his face with vigor.

"Resshin, eh? I see you both chose natural disasters as pennames. How charming!" Iruka chortles. "Well, keep writing, then; don't let me interf–"

"How did you know that we both picked natural disasters as pennames? I don't remember telling you mine…" the blonde frowns.

"I talked to him about it, of 'course," he teacher grins. He said it as if Naruto should have already guessed, because it was apparent.

His blue eyes light up noticeably. "Really? You did? When?!"

"Oh, recently… I think it was last week? No, maybe not so recently… it could have been during your second week of this program…"

"Arhg, Mr. Umino! I need to know!" Naruto grunts exasperatedly.

"Why does it matter?"

"I… um… want to see if he had said anything else, you know, about me…" he says, turning back to his computer screen so that the teacher couldn't see the tiny blush that began to envelope his cheeks.

The brunette scratches his head and tightens his ponytail. "Well… it was nothing much, really. He asked about failing if one of you figured the other out –"

Naruto interrupts him and looks over his shoulder. "Yeah, he mentioned that in an e-mail… you said we wouldn't fail."

Iruka smiles vaguely. "That's right. I also asked him to keep writing even if he found you out. Could you do that for me, too, Naruto? If you find out who Resshin is, will you promise to keep writing to him? No matter what face and name he wears?"

"Why wouldn't I? I… I really like Resshin. I don't care who he is." The blonde says immediately.

"That's all I need to hear. Thank you. But other than that, he really didn't say much. He's normally a quiet student."

"So I've noticed," Naruto murmurs, a twinge of a smile on his lips.

"I'll leave you to your work now, Naruto. Keep making connections!" the teacher says cheerfully.

Naruto gives the man a thumbs up. "You know I will!"

He now had the perfect inspiration for his e-mail.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara did not at all like last night. The storm had kept him awake, although he was pretty alert to begin with thanks to the medication messing with his head. Well, messing with his sleeping patterns at least. It was helping his head otherwise.

For the other portion of the night he thinks he must have been asleep, because he recalls having another bird-related dream. It had been a dream out of guilt for abandoning his e-pal. It's only been about a day since that e-mail had been received, which is not really any time at all to not reply to something, especially if that something wasn't meant to be transmitted in the first place. Still, the redhead thinks his dream was out of guilt for even trying to abandon Naruto. The guy hasn't done a single thing wrong, technically; and he was oblivious to so much… Gaara certainly can't blame him, can he?

The dream had proceeded as such: Resshin had been running, running… he was human again, and he didn't like it. Why couldn't he have stayed a bird after dying once more? Unlike the phoenix which is reborn from it's very own ashes and becomes the same fiery, magical bird all over again, Resshin was the sort that was reborn in a flurry of it's own feathers, and was born a human after dying as a bird, and when he died as a human he solidified into stone and was hatched a bird. Shippuuden was nearly the same, although his human body dissolved into water vapor and became reborn a bird in the clouds. That aside, the dream had started off with nearly nothing but running, although Resshin did not pant and his heart rate did not quicken while he scored across the land, heading away from everything. He was sick. He was terribly sick. Sick of being reborn again and again, of experiencing death again and again, of losing his dear Shippuuden again and again. He was so sick of it all… so he ran. He ran and ran and ran, escaping the rain (which Gaara guessed came from the storm actually raging outside of his sleep) and his thoughts, his death, and his life.

Resshin's sprint began to slow, however, when he realized that in running away, he was abandoning the one thing he loved. _Shippuuden_. (Gaara was confused by this part of the dream, because he was nearly positive that he did not love Naruto, who in this case was being represented by the canary, Shippuuden.) So he turned around back to his earthquake-barren land he called home. He ran all the way back, the rain pouring into his eyes and blinding him.A sort of cave could be seen, and within it a petite yellow object perched upright, staring off into space for something it could not find. Shippuuden is waiting for me, Resshin thought. He came to the bird and snuck around it, lacing his hands in front of it's face. 'Guess who?' he asks, the smallest of smiles on his lips. 'Resshin!' the bird chirps. Resshin turns it around and cuddles the warm, golden bird to his chest. 'Correct,' he smiles. 'I apologize for dying again without you. I ought to stop doing that,' he tells Shippuuden, adding in his mind: and I apologize for running away. 'It's quite all right,' the canary informs him with a happy chirp. 'I'm glad you found me again. Perhaps now I can join you in rebirth?' Resshin holds the bird up to his eyes, confused. He peers deep into their overly blue depths and inquires, 'What on Earth are you asking?' There is a pause and all that can be heard is the whoosh of rain. Then: 'Kill me.'

There was a crack of thunder which shattered Gaara's dream at that point, but distantly Gaara thought it had been part of the dream… a part that meant the noise had come from the crack of the canary's neck as Resshin killed it. It hadn't been, though; **thankfully.**

And this brings the redhead back to reality in present time, lunch hour. His food sat ahead of him, staring up at the redhead, begging to be eaten. He suddenly lost his appetite. With a sigh, Gaara shoves his tray in front of him, getting the attention of the upper half of the lunch table. In Konoha High, no one had many manners, so Gaara knew his food wouldn't go to waste. Someone would eat it.

The Sabaku boy stands and lifts his over-the-shoulder bang off the floor to go sit on the carpeted steps outside the cafeteria. He would much rather be outside, but it was wet and muddy, not to mention horribly bleak. No one would want to be out in that sort of whether.

He sets his bag down on one stair and sits below it, his elbow making contact with the ledge of a window. Gaara places his chin in his hand and stares out at the gray sky, finding it tremendously ironic that a sparrow should be cleaning it's feathers right in front of him._ More bird references,_ he thinks dully. _Does the universe like to remind me of my actions? I know I abandoned Naruto, but I cannot go back. Not when I could get hurt. I've been down that road before, and I am not planning on going down it again. I'm glad I live alone now. And I will do my bets to be glad that I don't have any friends or relationships, at least not any longer. I refuse to get more involved. So fly away, you silly sparrow, because I do not want to see you. I don't want to be reprimanded by your presence or my dream. _

It wouldn't leave him be, however. He pleaded with his brain, urging it to stop thinking about Naruto and the birds. It also refused to let him forget other things, like their first phone call…

_'Then I guess we balance out,'_ the blonde had joked. '_You're a listener, and I'm a talker. Perfect match.'_

He would like to think so. Gaara honestly would like to be a match with someone – anyone – but he denied it. A sense of balance is another thing he wished for at the moment. For right now, as the lunch bell rang in his ears and echoed off his skull, Gaara wanted nothing more than to cancel out all his thoughts and feelings and memories an return to the sense of balance he had before this Faceless-and-Nameless project.

His mind, as he walked down the hallways, also would not allow him to forget their second phone call…

_'But my cousin figured out that his friend has a sort of… er… crush on him.'_

Which meant that Naruto already had someone who liked him, which Gaara knew could come to a bad close. And it could be awful for either of the three of them: Gaara, Naruto, or this 'friend'. A sick feeling deep in the pit of his stomach told Gaara that he would be the one to get the short end of that stick.

Another thing from that second call came to his mind, however:

_'Want to meet up after this whole month is over? That way we can be real friends.'_

At the time, he remembers his e-pal sounding so hesitant and insecure, to the point of adding lots of '…'s and 'uh's and 'um's in the middle. As he had recalled the line, however, it didn't sound as unsure. It fact, sounded definite, promising, and kind. _Sincere._

When he reached his locker, Gaara checked his message device, not at all surprised to see an e-mail from Shippuuden waiting for him. He winced inwardly, not certain if he should read it or not. It would be unwise to leave it there… although possibly unwise to read it … hmm; decisions, decisions, decisions.

In the end, Gaara read the e-mail. As much as he tried not to, he couldn't resist; he had been lying to himself earlier when he said he didn't hold any feelings for Naruto. He even thought when he received that not-meant-to-be-read letter that he might feel the same… truth was, he did feel the same. The redhead couldn't wrap his mind around how or why, but there was some kind of connection he felt towards his hurricane. It was subtle, but for the passed two and a half weeks, Gaara had been silently eager to get those letters in his inbox. It was something different from the usual, and needless to say it was something he liked. He barely wanted t admit any of it to himself, because Gaara had sworn long ago to never fall in love; it would cost too much. Yet here he was, feeling guilty for trying to escape, tingling with anticipation on what the blonde had to say in this next e-mail, all to the point where his once barricaded heart was beating faster.

Once opened, the letter read:

_From: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** uh, hey…_

_Resshin,_

_Hey, uh, how are you? You didn't by chance… you know… get some weird e-mail from me, did you? Something… er… out of the ordinary? I'm just curious. _

_Weirdest thing… I had a dream last night that was really similar to a dream I had just a couple weeks ago. It involves some birds, too, which is even weirder. Remember when I asked you what birds to draw? Well, that's when I had had that first dream and doodled one of the birds in art class, which made Miss Kurenai ask me to do more for EC. Bleh, I'm rambling now. Sorry. I'm nervous. If you accidentally got some freaky letter, you probably know why I'm so nervous…_

_I better stop talking now. _

_See you Friday at 8:00!_

_– Shippuuden_

_P.S. Mindless Self Indulgence is not good music to have someone be playing when you have a killer migraine. TRUST ME._

Gaara blinked a few times down at his lap, which kept his device hidden from the teacher. So he had been right: Naruto didn't know that he had sent that embarrassing letter. He also didn't know that Gaara was trying to avoid contact with him. The redhead sighed to himself, closing his device shut and slipping it into his bag. He tried to focus on what the teacher was lecturing about, yet his mind refused to obey. His blue-green eyes darted from one object to another throughout the room, eventually landing on the pen on his desk. The redhead picked it up and began scribbling out random lines that came to his head on a scrap piece of paper. He noticed that they were lyrics from Placebo's 'Drowning By Numbers'.

_Open up your heart, let me slip inside.  
Such imagination always helps the feeling slide.  
Open up your soul, falling back into  
The big, big blue._

That has always been his favorite verse from the song. Those lines used to be, for the longest time, Gaara's signature on DeviantART (which an account he uses to submit his poetry and lyrics). The second he wrote those lines down, however, he did not think of DeviantART or Placebo or anything else besides Shippuuden. As pathetic as it sounds, when he had remembered those lyrics he thought of Naruto's 'big, big blue' eyes. And when he looked again, he thought of said blonde (as his less-goofy internet self) saying to him the first line. 'Open up your heart, let me slip inside…' It sounded like something his hurricane would say, although a bit less poetically. Also, the part 'falling back into' reminded him of his first dream about the birds in which Resshin – or himself? – had fallen from the skies due to the stone that had stuck a blow to his breast.

Gaara shook his head slowly, trying to rid his mind of his thoughts as if his brain were an Etch 'n' Sketch. The fib in thinking he could erase his thoughts as such became quite clear when the last sentence (before his signed name and postscript) of Shippuuden's e-mail came to mind:_ 'See you Friday at 8:00!'_

_You won't be seeing me Friday. I'm so sorry, Shippuuden… I mean: Naruto. I simply can't handle the possible rejection. It would kill me. But then again, not responding to this e-mail seems to also be 'killing' me. Though, I fear, I'm killing you worse instead. Like the end of my dream…_ Gaara contemplated. Regretfully, the redhead knew he was no longer the hardened stone he used to be a month ago, all thanks to Iruka and his imprudent program, and more specifically his injudicious choice in partners. **Why?** Why had things turned out this way? Gaara was much more comfortable with his life – and his own emotions – prior to this whole fiasco. Why had all of this happened? Why couldn't things be simpler like they used to be? _Why?_

When Chemistry came around, the earthquake was more than glad that Naruto didn't know his identity like he knew his. It made things at least a tad simpler like they used to be and always have been. The thinning truce also helped. The blonde hardly looked at Gaara, but Gaara didn't mind because he tried his best also not to look. He failed miserably at this, however; honestly, he could never look at the blonde the same way again, and seemed to look at him more often than not as of late. And why was this? Because Naruto had been there to talk to Gaara for a whole month, agreeing and disagreeing and being open and sincere, all of which are things the redhead was not used to but slowly welcomed. Also because of the playful phone calls and interest/flattery for his poetry, this was in fact a sensitive spot in Gaara. What's more, he couldn't see him the same way as before due to the fact that Naruto had (accidentally, but nonetheless) confessed to holding feelings for him; as well as plagued the redhead's bird-like dreams. Apparently he has even had similar dreams, since birds were mentioned in his last e-mail.

All of this information swirled around Gaara's mind as his eyes wandered the room, frequently coming to rest on Naruto's profile and mop of spiky blonde hair beside him. He began to grow anxious; can he really keep ignoring the blonde? One e-mail and already he was beginning to break down his vow to abandon the thing that could hurt him. No, no! That's not possible! He will stand strong in his vow. He was Gaara Sabaku, a loner since birth, a boy who has always stood strong, even through his tears, bruises, and nearly (thought never quite fully) broken bones. He has made it through his past, and was determined to make it until his senior graduation and into his future. _Alone._

So why was his heart clenching in his chest?

o0o0o0o0o

Hmm, that's strange. It's after 10:00 at night and Resshin still hasn't replied yet. Normally he does long before now.

Naruto shrugs to himself and tries not to worry about it. He felt sick to his stomach anyhow, despite his attempts at not worrying. _Maybe he just had a busy day and couldn't check his e-mail,_ said a reassuring voice in his head. The 'angel on his shoulder', if you will. But another voice, a much more pessimistic, 'devil on his shoulder' sort of voice told him: _Or maybe he got scared off by your accidental letter and refuses to speak to you any more. _

That last thought troubled him greatly. What if it was accurate in it's guess? Sure, Resshin was someone Naruto didn't know very well yet, but he felt oddly connected to the other boy and without a doubt wanted to get to know him better.

The blonde frowned to himself and decided it was best not to think. He slipped on his earphones (so not to disturb his friend or adoptive father with his stereo) and played Three Days Grace at a reasonable volume. He focused on the lyrics and mouthed along with them, singing the lines proudly in his mind. He needed to create a sense of balance within himself, and what better way than to clear out your mind and fill it with mindless rock music?

It's essentially easier done than said, instead of vice versa. How convenient music can be at times.


	15. Chapter 14: Can't Stop Whats Meant To Be

Chapter 14: You Can't Stop What's Meant To Be

Now. Do you know what 'now' is? 'Now' generally means the present moment in time. And right now was early Friday morning. Yes, _Friday_, the same Friday that Shippuuden is meant to meet Resshin, when Earth is supposed to meet Wind, the same Friday that the canary meets the cardinal in person. Tensions of today seemed to run high like an inescapable fever you get sent to the hospital for. Sasuke seemed colder than usual, refusing to speak to Naruto out of his burning envy for the mysterious 'Resshin'. Naruto picked up a slight twitch in his fingers from his own tension, and as the day wore on with no reply from Resshin and 8:00 drawing closer, he began to nibble at his cuticles. 'Now' was indeed a nerve-wrecking time.

Gaara, the very Resshin himself, was having his own tensed, inward battles. Even now he refused to make contact with Naruto. He wasn't ready. Not ready to feel anything remotely close to love, not ready to face the blonde's possible wrath (if he still hated him, that is), not ready to do much at all. Gaara is naturally shy in a unique way since his social growth had been stunted long ago, along with his emotional growth, which has been cut down violently. With a combination like that, the redhead simply was not made for these sorts of situations. He had gone with the flow for almost a month, but when someone reaches their limit, they exceedingly **reach their limit,** and that's final. _He is not prepared._ And who could blame him?

'Now' appeared to linger heavily on every lip and breath of the two boys. One was trying to ditch the situation and his heart, while the other was eagerly putting himself out there to give his heart freely. Gaara was not being a coward; he was fighting to protect himself and, in a sense, was trying to protect Naruto as well. He has his predictions about what their meeting will be like, and although part of him is aching to see his hurricane tonight at 8:00, most of Gaara is aching to flee the scene. He can't take this any longer, as he had said before.

In reverse, Naruto could take it. He wants it with all his being, in fact. Curiosity was getting the best of him; he wants to know who Resshin is. He wants to see what Resshin looks like, since his strange dreams never allowed him to see a face, only red hair (if Resshin even had red hair). Naruto was curious to see if his earthquake felt the same heart-thread that bonded them, if he felt the same happiness every time a new letter sprung into his inbox from the opposite boy. Most of all, Naruto was curious if his second kiss would be by Resshin's mouth.

Naruto's lunch hour swung by. He found himself almost in a trance, and Kiba didn't like it one bit. "What's up with you, eh?" he barks, waving his hand in front of his best friend's face. "You're being even quieter than Shino."

Sakura smirks as she bites into a strawberry. "He's thinking about his date tonight. Isn't that right, Naru?"

"Date? Oh! Who's the lucky gal?" Chouji asks, sputtering yogurt-laced droplets of spit while he enjoyed a parfait (it's a treat the cafeteria only has on Fridays. They can't afford ice cream for the numerous amounts of students that go to Konoha High).

Naruto snaps out of his trance to flush slightly and make up a quick excuse. "It's not a date! And there's no girl… It's simply plans I made with a friend of mine to play pool together tonight; that's ALL."

"Suuure," Sakura winks. She nudges the blonde in the side. "That's what I meant."

Chouji frowns. "Jeez, Naruto, you seriously need a girlfriend. Playing pool is fun and all, but on a Friday you should be out with some chick hanging off your arm."

Shikamaru shrugs. "Girls are too troublesome; he's better off playing billiards than going to the movies or whatever with some chick." He pops a jawbreaker in his mouth and swirls it around behind his cheeks, sucking all the color off. It was green, one of Shikamaru's favorite flavors.

Kiba picks at a scab on his elbow from falling off his skateboard the other day. "Tch, you're all no fun. If anything, you should be playing pranks on Friday nights."

Sakura rolls her eyes. "Just because we don't have a dog that can poop on a whim so that we can do the old 'flaming bag on a doorstep' trick doesn't mean we aren't fun or don't like the occasional prank. Hell, next year we have the big senior prank to pull over on the rest of the school. Maybe you should save those Friday-night ideas for then."

The brunette brightens. "You know, Pinky, that ain't such a bad idea…"

Sakura leans across the table and smacks Kiba on the arm. "I told you not to call me that! Because of you, everyone decided to sign my yearbook freshman year to 'Pinky'."

He merely laughs. "I know _I_ did, but… Did they really? Haha, that's so awesome!"

The pink-haired girl frowns and sticks out her tongue. "Jerk."

Kiba sticks out his tongue in return, making his eyes cross slightly to mock her. Kiba always acts like a kid, but it was an odd sight to see when Sakura did. Naruto forgot his nervousness and curiosity for a minute to giggle at his two best friends. "You guys are insane."

"Glad you noticed," Kiba retorts, unscrewing his face. "For a second there I thought we lost you to the black pit you call your brain."

"At least my brain has a form," Naruto grins. "Yours is just empty air floating around your skull."

"More like jam," Chouji jokes with a lick of his lips. "Grape jam."

"Ha. You wish," Kiba chortles, attempting to cross his arms and give the chubby boy an 'oh-be-jealous' look. He fails horribly and continues to laugh instead.

You know, the whole world doesn't revolve around e-pals and crushes and dates. Sometimes the world revolved around this: jokes, friends, and laughter.

Gaara wouldn't know of this, however. He had no friends, and at the same time that Naruto was at lunch the redhead was in class, sighing periodically. Why was this bugging him so much? Why couldn't he just forget about it and move on? Perhaps it was because his next class had Naruto sitting in the row beside him. Perhaps it was because he had received a text this morning from Shippuuden asking if he got his last e-mail since he hadn't replied yet. Perhaps he couldn't forget about it because, deep down, he didn't want to.

o0o0o0o0o

The blonde slipped a t-shirt on after school; it was the orange one he had told Resshin he would be wearing for identification. It felt the tiniest bit stiff as it clung to his shoulder blades, and somehow the breeze grazing his biceps didn't settle right. Naruto frowned to himself, not sure why that was. It could be because it's been too cool lately for short sleeves; on the other hand, he hasn't worn this shirt for an extended period of time, which could also be it. Whatever the case, he had to wear it and would need to leave right after dinner to make it to the arcade on time to meet up with Resshin for pool.

On passing his closet door mirror, the Uzumaki boy frowns at his reflection. "What about my hair?" he asks himself. He doesn't like how it hung in his face at present; it made him look like a shaggy dog with yellow-gold fur. He scans his dresser top for one of his headband ties. He had a few of them: one was navy blue, one was orange, one was black with a swirl in the middle, another plain black, and one last one that was green. He chose the plain black one, since it could match just about anything, including his strange tee.

With a tuck of his Swiss army knife into his pocket and a quick check at his mother's necklace beneath his shirt, Naruto tied the headband around his forehead and ruffled his hair, finally ready to walk out the door. On the way, however, Sasuke was found to be reading at his bed, which is technically the living room couch. "Going out on your date now, are you?"

"No," the blonde says softly, not liking the icy, jealous tone in his friend's voice. "I'm just going out for a bike ride. I'll be back in time for dinner."

"And _then_ you're going on your date."

"It's not a date," Naruto sniffs defensively. He would like to add that it's 'no more than a meeting with a friend for billiards', which is what he had said to Sakura and the others earlier, but Sasuke knew when he lied. Because in all honesty, that sort of excusive line would be a fib.

Sasuke's dark eyes pan over to him, looking charcoal grey in the lighting. As if reading his unsaid defensive words, Sasuke says coldly: "Says who? You like him, ne? So to you, this is a date."

"Look, teme, I don't want to be having this discussion with you right now. I want to ride my bike out in 'the post-rain, fresh air, my iPod tuning out all my thoughts'. Sound familiar?"

Actually, Naruto's words sounded enormously familiar. They even made the Uchiha flinch; those were the words he had used before their spring break last year. Sasuke had said them to Naruto after the blonde had (somewhat) rejected his kiss. It had been an emotional rejection above all else, though Sasuke had not taken it well. Despite his calm, cool, and collected demeanor, the Uchiha is in fact quite sensitive and had not liked Naruto's reaction. True, it could have been worse: the blonde could have pushed Sasuke away harshly, or he could have shouted, taken it as a joke, or cried. Luckily none of those things had come from Naruto, for which Sasuke had been glad. Still, after the rejection he had retreated on his bike after a drizzling rain had passed.

"Fine. Do what you like. Kyuubi said we're making pizza when he gets home, so you can probably skip having dinner here. Have fun on your _not_-date, dobe," he scoffs, turning back to his novel.

Naruto's eyebrows furrow. Why did Sasuke have to be so difficult? _You're the one who ran away from your boarding school and asked to bunk with Kyuubi and me,_ Naruto thinks of retorting._ If you didn't want me to like anyone but you, you should have stayed at the Sound Academy. That way you could remain ignorant of what kind of people walk into my life. _

The blonde slams the front door shut, his house keys jingling softly as he locked the door behind him. He didn't need any of this. Sasuke's wrong: he _can_ and **will** skip dinner, no 'probably' about it. And afterwards, he'll head straight for the arcade. Screw pizza and Sasuke and his adoptive father; he had Resshin to go meet. In other words: a new friendship to formulate, a new face to confront, and possibly a new heart to touch.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara glanced over at the stove to read the time, and when he saw what it was he sighed guiltily through his nose. Not knowing where to go, the redhead grabbed his car keys and head out. He couldn't sit at home when he knew he was supposed to be at the arcade in an hour and a half. He asked himself vaguely why he was running away from Naruto; why he was running away from _Shippuuden_.

_They don't feel like the same person, _he thought, answering his own question. _I refuse to believe that the guy who despises me is the same one who confessed to developing feelings for me. It doesn't add up. And it'll be too complicated when he sees that his Resshin is in fact Gaara. Have I not said this before? Why must I keep bringing up the same topic with myself? _

'Because you're falling for him.'

Gaara hit the brakes on his car, the sudden stop jolting his chest forward in the direction of the steering wheel. Luckily, no one had been anywhere on the road near him since he was still in his neighborhood. If he had been out in the street, he would have surely gotten a fender bender.

He blinked a few times at the voice – sounding much like his own – that had spoken as a breezy afterthought. _'Falling for him'? Just because I briefly acknowledged that I might feel the same way doesn't mean it's true._

'Then why are you so afraid to face him?'

The redhead frowned at this. _I'm not sure why. It hardly matters, though._

'I think you're wrong. I think I matters a lot to you.'

_Shut up! Who are you to tell me what matters and what doesn't? _

'Who am I? I'm your heart, fool. A part of you that you thought you had killed off long ago.'

Gaara was beginning to panic. Either he was schizophrenic, completely insane, or playing games with himself, because this is not possible. You cannot have a voice in your head arguing with you. Can you?

He shook his head a few times, daring to start driving again. The only logical thing would be that he was thinking two lines of thoughts at once that seemed to conflict one another, making it look like another voice was speaking. _That has to be it,_ Gaara thought. Sweat brimmed his hairline, and he subconsciously wiped it away.

To his relief, the voice of his self-proclaimed 'heart' did not return. It truly had been another line of thought and not the voice of something else. In actuality, it had been his deepest thoughts brought to life; his most inner feelings shown the light. As much as the earthquake would like to deny it, he was in fact falling in love with the one boy – nay, the one **person** – who understood and accepted him, past and all. But he was afraid of rejection, of more pain, so this is why he was driving away from the arcade and the time and the blonde. Gaara would break if his newfound feelings were unrequited. He had already gone through so much.… If that happened, his protective shell would certainly become nothing but sand and fall limply to the ground. This was something he would not allow.

So, you see, he had every good reason to stand Naruto up, as cruel as the blonde would think it to me. Problem is, by leaving the other teen hanging Gaara was setting himself up for disaster. What do you think the Uzumaki boy is going to do as the hours tick by with no sign of his e-pal?

We can merely sit by idly and watch the scene unfold…

o0o0o0o0o

It's a beautiful thing to have, patience. It means you can sit and wait with a worry or care, completely comfortable in your trust that what it is you want will come in due time. It's a beautiful thing to have indeed. But did Naruto have it? Did he possess a sense of patience?

Nope.

He watched eagerly as the clock on his cell phone slowly changed digits. It started off quick enough as Naruto blew time like a flame on a birthday candle, eating his own dinner and walking around Konohagakure and window shopped. 5:10, 5:58, 6:03, 6:32. It went by even faster after that, growing into 6:46… then 7:12… 7:25… 7:31… 7:54… But time seemed to slow the closer it got to the desired time, and as Naruto paced the arcade near the billiard tables. 7:55… 7:56… 7:57… 7:58… 7:59… and then, painfully, 8:00.

_He'll be a few minutes late, _Naruto nods to himself, heading for the vending machines for a soda. _After all, he has to get here from who knows how far away, then get over to the pool tables, and then pick me out of the crowd near them. I have nothing to worry about._

If only he had patience; then the statement of the latter would be true. Sadly, as 8:10, 8:20, and 8:30 swung by, Naruto was getting hysterically nervous. And no, when the word 'hysterical' is used, it's not used as 'funny'. This was far from being amusing.

It's not nice to be stood up. When waiting for someone to meet up with – be it a romantic date, a night out with friends, or a party with relatives you haven't seen in a while – it's not at all pleasant to find that (or 'those') person (or 'people') fail to show. It hurts like a dull dagger in the pit of your stomach and a chilling pack of ice on your head. It makes you feel less energetic the way it drags you down in disappointment. You really, desperately, sincerely wanted to see them, yet you wind up being alone at the location for the engagement.

Around 9:00, Naruto decided to call Resshin. Maybe the other forgot the time, or mistook it for 9:00 instead of 8:00? It was possible. He quickly surfed through his call history until he came across the correct number. He hit 'dial' and listened eagerly as the phone rang…

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Four times.

Five.

Then… voicemail.

**Beep. '**_**We're sorry, the number you'd like to reach is unavailable right now, please leave a message at the tone and they'll get back to you as possible. Thank you.' **_**Bleeeep.**

"Er, hey, Resshin, it's me… Shippuuden… I'm here at the arcade, you know, by the pool tables and stuff… it's about 9:00 and you're not here. I was wondering if you forgot or something? It's okay if you did… Anyway, call me back later. Bye."

Naruto hated leaving messages. It made him feel uncomfortable and ignored. Vaguely he wondered if Resshin was even home, or when he'd be back to get the message. No matter; he had to check his voicemail eventually. The blonde smiled to himself, forcing the grin onto his face to make himself feel better, more positive. He normally was an optimist, so he can't let this get him down. It was a shaky thing to do in the first place; meeting up with someone from the internet almost always is. So no worries, right? _Right,_ the teen nods.

Right…

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara bit his pale lower lip. It was after 9:00. Was Naruto angry with him for not going? Was he sad? Certainly he was disappointed, but what else? He could be hurt. Scratch that, Gaara was almost positive that he had hurt the other boy by purposely forgetting to show his face at the arcade. Oh, why had he gone through with this? Why couldn't he just take this like a man and risk everything? _Because I'm afraid. It's not a shame to fear, though I wonder if it's a shame to ditch a commitment I agreed to. However, I agreed to it before I had even known who Shippuuden was, so that must count for something… _the redhead's mind processed.

In the end, it hardly felt encouraging. Actually, it made him feel all the worse.

He refused to cave in, though. Of all the things Gaara was, he was not someone who was wishy-washy on his decisions. He had already not shown at the arcade for an hour; after such a length in time there was no turning back.

As sick to his stomach as he felt about the whole thing, the redhead couldn't help but to go through with disengaging himself from his e-pal. It had been a good month, and now it had to come to an end.

So why, then, was fate being so cruel as to have Gaara see Naruto riding his bike home?

His heart fluttered in his chest for a moment, nearly skipping a beat. He slowed his car long enough to catch a glimpse of the peddling blonde. You can't stop what's meant to be; he was meant to see Naruto tonight even if the blonde was unaware of the contact. For a fraction of a second Shippuuden made eye contact with Resshin, his blue orbs seeing only a dimly lit figure in the front seat of a car going the opposite way he was. Then his gaze fell to the road, as did Gaara's. The redhead blinked once or twice. Slowly he began driving again, although he was now headed for his own home. He's had enough of driving around.

o0o0o0o0o

"You're home awfully early."

– Was the first thing Sasuke said when he saw Naruto walked in the door. Kyuubi stood by the stereo, surfing through songs until he found the one he wanted. Bruce Springsteen music began to fill the room, and Kyuubi smiled to himself. His fox-like grin faded, however, when he saw his half-nephew's face.

"Something wrong, kit?" he asked. He liked to play up the animal references sometimes in order to mess with Naruto. The blonde wasn't in the mood, however.

"Shut the fuck up and let me go to bed," he grumbled in reply to both his adoptive father and his best friend.

The raven-haired boy frowns. "Humph. What's your problem?"

Kyuubi looks sideways at Naruto while turning the Boss's music down. "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not. My _date_," he hisses, using Sasuke's word, "Didn't show up. I guess that makes you pretty happy, eh, Sasuke?" he adds spitefully.

"Whoa now," the businessman says slowly, "You had a date tonight? With who? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't a real date," Sasuke says glumly in Naruto's defense. He suddenly felt bad for the blonde, especially after the 'are you happy now?' comment. "He was just going to meet up with his e-mail friend. But apparently…"

"I got stood up. Yeah. Rub it in, why don't you?"

"Naru-to," Kyuubi says gently, "There's no need to get so worked up. Maybe something happened. Besides, you can always try again. Be a good sport and suck it up."

The blonde sighed, releasing as much of his stress as he could in one frail gust. "I guess you're right. I… I really wanted to meet him in person, you know?"

Sasuke makes a noise, the kind you make when you're huffing or grunting out of jealousy. Imagine yearning for someone _so_ much, only to hear that they desire someone else. It's a terrible thing. If Sasuke was the least bit sadistic or corrupted, he might do something brash and inappropriate to his crush. Fortunately for Naruto, Sasuke was not the type, so he was safe.

"I understand," Kyuubi says wholeheartedly. He ruffles Naruto's hair fondly before turning to crank the music back up. "Why don't you help yourself to some ice cream? I brought some home after work today."

"I think I'll take you up on that offer, Dad," he smiles.

"Oh, by the way…" the russet-orange haired man adds as Naruto opens the freezer door. "I finished up the last of the school-transfer arrangements today during my lunch hour. Sasuke will be joining you at school next week."

Naruto nearly dropped the carton on ice cream he had been holding. "S-so s-soon?"

"Yep," Sasuke chimes in from the couch. He had to speak loudly in order to be heard over the song 'Tougher than the Rest'. "I hope Sakura doesn't have a seizure."

Naruto shrugs, getting over his minor shock over the news. He reaches into one of the kitchen drawers and grabs a spoon. He intends to eat straight from the carton while he checked his e-mail up in his room. Maybe watch a movie since it was Friday…

"Hey," comes Sasuke's voice. Naruto spins around, surprised to find his friend behind him so quickly. "Don't be greedy." And with that, he snatched the Rocky Road ice cream from the blonde. "Get a bowl."

The hurricane frowns but complies, going over to the cupboard for said dish. Sasuke hands him the ice cream back and sticks his hands in his pockets.

Right before he's about to exit the kitchen, he adds: "I bet he was nervous. Anyone would be if they were going out with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the blonde asks, his mouth full of cool chocolate. "I'm a pretty easy going guy, if I do say so myself. What's there to be nervous of?"

"Your temper."

* * *

**A/N: if you noticed, i make Naruto say 'you know' quite a bit. that's because 'dattebayo' is equivulant to saying 'you know' at the end of your sentences. i'm not sure if i want Konoha to be in a Japan-like place or an American one, so i've kept it all pretty vague and used as little Japanese words as possible, despite my urge to use a shitload. so there's that...**

**also, i want you all to know that it's so terribly hard to keep Gaara in character, especially in an AU. Naruto it kind of is, same thing with all the side characters and teachers, so i just hope there are no problems there. and WOWZERS, look at all those reviews! and i have over 2,200 hits on this (while Changed By You miraculously hit over 5,000). and yipes, i think this has one of the highest alerts and favs! (favs: 22, alerts: 24). THAT'S SO AMAZING. **

**i love you guys, honestly. feedback is a very important thign to a growing author, and all the stats i listed below are prime example. i fell so flattered and a bit proud, sniff sniff. keep it up, ad i promise to update as much as possible, despite the new time restrictions my parents are enforcing on me. and the fatc that my pool is now open and ready to swim in... (huhu, i'm so getting a tan!). **


	16. Chapter 15: Uncovered

Chapter 15: Uncovered

What does it mean to be 'uncovered'? It means to be naked, bare, exposed, revealed, and left out in the open for everyone to gander. When you're 'uncovered', it means you've been discovered for what you truly are underneath. In a way, Iruka wanted everyone to be uncovered during the Faceless-and-Nameless project. He wanted everyone to be uncloaked and unmasked for the people they are underneath the person they play to be at school. No matter who you are, you always have something about yourself that you hide. Perhaps you're a bit more serious and thoughtful that other give you credit for (like Naruto). Perhaps you're a genius despite the low grades you get due to your laziness (like Shikamaru). Perhaps you're sweet and delicate aside from the popular, self-confident cheerleader they see you for (like Ino). Perhaps, underneath your cold, careless exterior, you're a human being who wishes to be loved and not hurt (like Gaara). Sometimes, sure, you're exactly who you appear to be, whether you're a sporty, polite, friendly boy (like Lee) or a tough, slightly wild, yet caring girl (like TenTen) or even a respectable, calm, responsible guy (like Neji). For the most part, however, everyone hides their inner self. Like Sai; he seems like not much more than an artist in school, but there's more to him that meets the eye. Same goes for Sakura; she has an entire feisty, passionate girl hiding beneath her understanding outer self. Everyone is different than they appear, and to become uncovered for this inner self can be a mix of many things. Namely humiliating, although more than just embarrassment can come from being exposed, especially if there are people present to witness your 'coming out of the closet'. And no, that phrase doesn't always apply to gay people. It can be used in any situation, really, since that closet is usually someone's 'skeleton closet'.

Unfortunately, at this very moment, Gaara was about to uncover himself for Naruto to see; he was about to strip down his exterior and admit that his interior, Resshin, was who he is… now for the blonde to simply turn 180 degrees and face him… or, rather, for him to come full circle and face the blonde.

But that's getting ahead. Two days ahead.

Let's go to present time where Naruto sits in his room, a frown firmly in place at the monitor. He had seven non-junk e-mails in his inbox, although none of which were from who he wanted.

Naruto shoved another bite of ice cream in, glancing carelessly at the time. 10:06. Didn't feel that late… He sighed to himself, browsing youtube for some anime music videos or abridged series to watch. He finished off the last of the ice cream soup at the bottom of his bowl. Distantly, he thought as he slurped the sweet remains: _Resshin, where are you? _

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara twitched in his sleep. 'You say that you ran? Pray tell you ran from _what_?' Shippuuden asked in his human form. The redhead realized this was a continuation from his previous dream about the birds of the natural disasters, and it disturbed him. He didn't like how such a simple, casual thing like having an e-pal and not meeting up with them could affect him so. 'Why did you make me kill you? I did not wish to inflict any pain on you…' Resshin replies, stoking the side of his pale arm insecurely. 'You are not answering my question,' the blonde replies. He wore Naruto's face yet softer, having no scars on his cheeks. Gaara could only guess it was because he found out about his identity. Either way, the dream kept going, and he was left to watch in silence while he slept.

Shippuuden sighs. 'Quiet as always, I see. Well, if you must know, I couldn't stand not being in the same form as you. A bird's life is not the best, anyhow. I know you'd beg to differ, but I personally like being human. I can feel more,' he says, coming closer to the ex-cardinal. The movement was slow, but he brought a tanned hand up to trace the 'ai' scar on his companion's forehead. (Gaara noticed that his representation did not flinch or wince at the touch like the real Gaara might if Naruto were to touch him the same way in real life.) 'I suppose you're right. Although you know how much I'd rather fly,' Resshin blushes as he looks to the earth. Shippuuden frowns. 'May you be so kind as to answer my question? You're beginning to irk me.'

The dream-Resshin nods to him. 'Gomenasai. Here, let me explain… I was trying to escape the rain and my thoughts, as well as my constant deaths and rebirths. I was so very sick of it all, Shippuuden…' The blonde ex-canary lays his head upon Resshin's shoulder in comfort. 'I can understand. It hurt me that you left, however, and I may never forgive you if you do it a second time.' Resshin smiles, his lips parting to show the faintest bit of white teeth. 'I shall never do it again; have no fear.' And with that, he kisses the top of the other boy's head, right in the middle of his overly-yellow locks. Gaara twitches again in his sleep, confused slightly at the gesture. As of late, his dreams relating to these two have made his counterpart very unlike himself. He wouldn't kiss Naruto… would he? It seemed absolutely preposterous, and yet…

The redhead woke with a start, his head jerking up from his pillow. He rubbed at his eyes and glanced at the time. 11:23 p.m. Well now, it wasn't that late, was it? It felt so much later. Those dreams always carry on forever, making the night nearly endless. It was all an illusion, though; the time on his alarm clock proved that.

Gaara was now fully awake, and he figured he was in for another insomniac night. He didn't care; it gave him more time to think.

_I can't keep this up; _he began as he waltzed down stairs in his empty home. _I can't run away from him forever, especially if my dreams will continue to haunt me about it. _He flipped on lights as he went, trying to get his seemingly-pupiless eyes to adjust. It was then that he noticed the small red light on his wall phone was blinking. He puzzles over why for a moment before his brain catches up and remembers that it blinks when he gets voicemail. Gaara walks over to the black object and picks up it's receiver, curiously dialing his own number to reach the voicemail.

'_**You have, one, new voice message. Press one to hear this message or five for more options.' **_Says the automated female voice that paused around the number of messages since the number can differ. Funny how that works…

Gaara presses 1 on the box that hung on the wall and began to twirl the cord of his ancient phone between his fingers. _**'Friday, at… nine. oh. six. pi em: **_'Er, hey, Resshin, it's me… Shippuuden… I'm here at the arcade, you know, by the pool tables and stuff… it's about 9:00 and you're not here. I was wondering if you forgot or something? It's okay if you did… Anyway, call me back later. Bye.'** Bleeep. **_**'You have no more messages. Press three to replay this message, seven to delete, or five for more options.' **_

A quaking chill ran up Gaara's spine when he has heard Naruto's voice. It had sounded so… unsure, let down, yet ready to forgive. The chill came from the fact that it sounded exactly like the same sort of voice that he, in the past, had used around Yashamaru (although he is no longer so forgiving). The quake had come from the fact that Naruto's voice as in his ear again after what felt like so long. He had actually _missed_ talking to the blonde on the phone? Strange… yet understandable. The message repeated: _**'You have no more messages. Press three to replay this message, seven to delete, or five…' **_

Instinctively, the redhead pressed three. Again his hurricane's voice sounded in his head, and Gaara closed his black-ringed eyes. Somehow, it saddened him the way the blonde spoke, yet soothed him at the same time.

It was then that he again remembered something from one of their phone conversations: _'It's getting late; I should probably let you go…'_ Naruto had said. Gaara recalls replying with something like: _'You sound unsure.'_ There had been a sheepish grin in what his e-pal had said next: _''Cause I am. I know I don't have much more to say, and I know you're probably itching to get rid of me, but I can't seem to let you go just yet.'_

And for that reason, he did not press seven to delete the message at the end of hearing it for the second time. Instead kept it on his voicemail, forever able to hear Shippuuden's voice on a whim.

Speaking of which, if Gaara sent an e-mail right now, when would the blonde be able to read it? Tomorrow? Most likely. For at this very moment, Gaara couldn't take it anymore; and no, this was not like last time when he had gotten that accidental e-mail… this was different. This time, he couldn't take the unfamiliar pain of letting someone down (specifically his e-pal) and of hearing that same person speak in such a tone to him. He understood that he couldn't drop this new relationship to protect himself; he understood that, at the very least, he could gain a true friend if nothing else. Gaara understood that he was stopping this too soon, and that he could at least try and find out how Naruto will react on seeing him. Maybe it would be different than what he thought; maybe the blonde won't mind that Resshin was Gaara after all.

With a sliver of hope, Gaara grabbed an icy cold bottle of water from the refrigerator. He trudged back up the stairs and opened his laptop which sat indolently on his desk. He didn't bother to drag it to his bed or anywhere much at all; he was attempting to write this letter and send it before he got second thoughts and changed his mind. After 20 solid minutes of blowing frustrated air out his mouth and repeatedly cracking his knuckles and neck, Gaara had written and sent this:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com__  
__**Subject: **__I apologize_

_Dear Shippuuden__,_

_I apologize for not meeting with you tonight… or, rather, _last night_, seeing as how it's after midnight now and officially Saturday. Something had... gotten in the way. _

_Let's meet somewhere else on Sunday. For lunch or afternoon coffee, perhaps. Sound alright?_

_Signed,  
__Resshin_

_P.S. I did not get 'some freaky letter', so don't fret over it. I noticed you were pretty upset if I had gotten one. I assure you nothing out of the ordinary came my way._

Okay, so the postscript had been a lie. But Gaara was already feeling guilty and thought saying something like that would make Naruto less nervous, as well as a tad more secure. After sending this letter, however, Gaara wasn't sure how secure in himself he was feeling. He can't back out of this one; he had made the plans himself. Unless the next 48 hours bring death and destruction equivalent to the atomic bomb, he was going to go through with this. He was going to do it… he wasn't prepared in the least, but he was going to do it anyway.

It's a new sense of strength Gaara didn't know he had, thanks to Naruto. He was going to face his fears of possible rejection and "heartbreak" (although not quite the kind you're thinking of, hence the quotes) just like that, all at once, utterly and completely. One encounter he'll probably never forget, one that will decide a handful of things.

Thank God.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto had gone to bed down in the dumps and drowning in ice cream for his meager sorrows, but as soon as he turned on his computer after lunch the next day, everything was right in his world. His dream from last night even seemed brighter, because instead of reminding him of Resshin in the bad way, it reminded him of his e-pal in the good way.

Oh, and what was in the dream, you ask? Well, it was very unlike the somewhat premonition-like bird dream he had had last where Resshin was lost to him. As an alternative, it went something like this...

'What took you so long, Resshin? I can't stand being without you when one becomes reborn. You know that.' Shippuuden said roughly, trying to get his voice back after becoming reborn again (although, this time by Resshin's hand; something that neither had done for the other before). 'I ran away.' Replies the other. Shippuuden frowns at him. 'You say that you ran? Pray tell you ran from _what_?' The dull light showed only that same mop of red hair, never the eyes or facial features. All that could be seen was the soft, supple, pale skin, shadow cast to the side of the nose, the outline of a jaw and soft curves of his body. Other than that, Resshin might as well have been faceless. 'Why did you make me kill you? I did not wish to inflict any pain on you…' comes the response. Shippuuden waves that aside. 'You are not answering my question.'

Silence fills the space between then, and the canary boy sighed. 'Quiet as always, I see. Well, if you must know, I couldn't stand not being in the same form as you. A bird's life is not the best, anyhow. I know you'd beg to differ, but I personally like being human. I can feel more.' (At this point in the dream, Naruto was grinning deviously in his sleep, for next came this:) The yellow-blonde leans over and places his hands over his companion's forehead and traces something that feels like a scar. Vaguely, Naruto recognized it to be a Japanese character of some sort, although he did not know which one or of what kind. Possibly kanji. 'I suppose you're right. Although you know how much I'd rather fly,' Resshin blushes as he looks to the earth. Shippuuden frowns. 'May you be so kind as to answer my question? You're beginning to irk me.' The ex-cardinal nods to him. 'Gomenasai. Allow me to explain… I was trying to escape the rain and my thoughts, as well as my constant deaths and rebirths. I was so very sick of it all, Shippuuden…' Naruto had smiled at the next part as well, for his representation lays his head upon Resshin's shoulder to comfort the other. 'I can understand. It hurt me that you left, however, and I may never forgive you if you do it a second time.' (Which Naruto knows is true; he was hurt that Resshin has stood him up.) Said boy smiled then. 'I shall never do it again; don't worry.' And with that, he kisses the top of his head, right in the middle of the overly-yellow locks.

From there Shippuuden had snuggled up to his companion and sighed contentedly. 'I'll love you always, so you had better stay with me, Resshin.' 'I already told you that I would,' says the other. 'Do you love me as well?' the canary boy asks in a murmur, feeling stupid for asking. But he had to know; had to hear it for himself. 'You know I do.' 'Always?' Resshin chuckles and gives the boy a squeeze on the shoulder. 'You're acting like such a child, Shippuuden. But yes, always.'

And that's where the dream had ended. At first, when he woke up, the dream had made him feel terribly sad because it was a fantasy that looked like would never occur, and yet here he was in front of his computer screen, delighted out of his wits at the e-mail he had received late in the night. Without hesitation he responded to the letter with one of his own.

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject: **__Re:__I apologize_

_Resshin__,_

_Phew, what a relief. I mean that you didn't, like, get a weird letter. And that you hadn't stood me up, haha; I was kind of worried that you had…I was even a little mad for a while because I thought you had; but I should've known it was something else. You don't seem like the type to leave people hanging. I won't pry as to what came between us, though; that'd be rude and honestly, I don't care so long as you can meet me soon._

_Let's do coffee since I remember you saying you have a caffeine addiction. Plus, coffee sounds pretty damn good for a Sunday afternoon. How about around 3:00? Or maybe 2:30. Nah, 3:00 sounds good. I'll meet you at the Starbucks by the school; not ours, of 'course; I mean that elementary school near main street. Although I'd prefer to go out for ramen, I could do that beforehand; besides, I don't think you'd like to see me eat. I'm a total pig. Not kidding. XD_

_Gah! Sorry, I'm just so happy right now that I keep rambling. I'll shut up. It's nice hearing from you after so long… well, it's only been a few days, but that feels like a long time to me after writing to you almost every day for a month. There I go rambling again… _

– _Shippuuden_

_P.S. I had another one of those bird dreams. I swear if I have one more I'm going to see a shrink. This is getting ridiculous, though I sorta like those dreams. They're… different._

Satisfied, he sent the message and reclined back in his chair. What a beautiful day this was turning out to be. And tomorrow at 3:00? It'll be even more gorgeous, Naruto bets.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara sat down to his computer various times throughout the day, his nerves on edge at what his hurricane would have to say in reply. When he finally saw the newest letter, an extended exhale of relief came streaming out his mouth. Straight away he hit 'reply' and wrote out the following message:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject: **__Re: Re:__I apologize_

_3:00 tomorrow at Starbucks it is. See you there, Shippuuden. Be sure to wear the shirt you had promised before, and I'll remain the one to seek you out. _

_Until then,  
__Resshin_

o0o0o0o0o

Without meaning to, Naruto let out a small squeak, similar to a squeal. This is really going to happen this time; he was actually going to meet Resshin in person, for real, face-to-face! – Which means if he dreamt of him again, the mythical cardinal-like bird should have an actual identity when it's human. What a great thought that was!

_I wonder who he could be… _Naruto mused as he whistled to himself upon entry to the kitchen.

Kyuubi looked up from the table where he seemed to be doing the bills for this month. A foxy grin spreads across his lightly tanned face, his red-brown eyes flashing. "In a good mood, I see. Something happen to contradict last night's blunder?"

"Yup," Naruto smiles. He grabs the milk out of the fridge and pours himself a glass, taking a huge swig before twisting the cap back on and setting the jug on it's shelf in the fridge. "My meeting with Resshin got rescheduled to tomorrow at three."

"Well now, that's quite the cherry on top of your Sunday," his uncle laughs, making up a pun so lame that the blonde rolled his eyes.

"Ha ha," he retorts sarcastically. He takes another swig of milk. "But you'd be excited, too, if you knew him. He's really cool."

"Don't tell me you're talking about that e-pal guy again," Sasuke grunts as he walks into the room to get something to eat. "I thought we were done talking about him."

"For your information, _teme_, we're not done talking about him. I'm meeting him tomorrow, in fact."

Sasuke had no idea who this Resshin character could be, but he had a bad feeling about it ever since Naruto had walked in early last night. "Yeah, well, when you meet him, be sure to keep your temper down."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" the other teen snaps.

Sasuke shrugs. "I'm just saying; you never know…"

"Humph," Naruto pouts, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away. After a moment he picks up his milk, finishes it off, and decides to go do laundry; he'll need the shirt from last night clean if he was going to wear it again tomorrow.

_Damn Sasuke doesn't know what he's talking about. My temper… ha! Just because I get mad at him all time doesn't mean I have a temper. Our friendship is really the only thing that gets my goat half the time. I mean, sure, there was that time in 8__th__ grade with Gaara… but I had every reason to lose my cool back then. Right? _

There was really no use pondering over this when he already knew the answer. So the blonde simply did his laundry and later some homework before winding down with a video game before bed. All he wished for was tomorrow afternoon to come quickly, and as luck would have it, his wish was granted.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara's nerves were shaking him down to his core. Outwardly, no one would notice; but if you got close enough, you could hear the shallow breaths entering and exiting the redhead's parted lips. He was filled with all sort of emotion that he wasn't used to: excitement, regret, anxiousness, and worry. They were small and fleeting, every single one of them; yet they were there, surging though the seemingly serene teenaged boy. He was excited to let Naruto meet him; regretting all sorts of actions that conflicted one another (like replying back to that first e-mail, yet he was glad for that; as well as ditching their first meeting, but at the same time he thought it had been the right thing to do. In general, Gaara was regretting all his good and bad decisions, not quite sure anymore which was right or wrong to begin with); anxious over Naruto's reaction, and worried he might chicken out again.

Across the way, Naruto was in his own room trying to make himself look as perfect as – or better than – he had looked on Friday. He even had the headband, although he slipped on a couple rings and a matching bracelet. But then he thought the bracelet and rings looked stupid, so he ditched those. The Uzumaki boy felt a tad stupid – not to mention girlish – to be fretting so much over one coffee date, though he couldn't help it. This was **Resshin**he was dealing with…

With one last look in the mirror, Naruto set out. He debated whether or not to take the car, seeing as how his fears haven't completely evaporated. He shrugged and picked up his bike instead. It's good to get a workout, anyhow.

Naruto arrived at the Starbucks a hint sooner than planned. Ah well, this gave him a chance to order and get seated prior to Resshin's own arrival. Despite the cool whether, Naruto ordered an orange-mocha frappichino topped with whip cream and chocolate syrup; talk about having a sweet tooth. Picking the window booth in the corner of the café, Naruto slurped up some of the icy sweet froth on top and stuck in the wide, green straw as he seated himself. He noticed a gathering of grey clouds off in the distance, blowing in from the west where Sunagakure resided. "Great, more rain," he sighed. Naruto preferred sunny days. A cheerful idea came to mind. "But if it's coming from Suna, that could mean we'll get a heat wave! Awesome; I'm sick of this cool weather."

Minutes passed, gradually going from before 3:00 to 5 after, 10 after, and 20 after. Naruto's coffee was halfway gone by this time, and a frown was set firmly in place.

"He's late..." the blonde sighs. "Maybe he couldn't make it this time, either…" The 17-year-old pouted. "I wish he'd at least call and warn be that he was going to be late instead of leaving me hanging again."

Then, as if on cue, his cell phone rang. The music talents of Submersed played yet again, the lyrics of 'Hollow' being cut off abruptly. **'****You can make me scream internally; you can make m–'**

"Hello?" Naruto says with a start, his heart race quickening.

"I don't know if I can do this, Shippuuden."

The voice was level like always, which was to be expected. The lone time Resshin's tone had changed was when he had read his poem (or song, rather). Naruto blinks twice and replies slowly, "Can't do what?"

"Walk in and sit in front of you," he replies bluntly.

Naruto's heart sinks as he frowns in perplexity. "Why not?" he asks, but quickly a reason dawns on him. "It's because you saw through the window who I was, isn't it?"

Outside the shop, Gaara stood with a pale hand to his ear as he held the receiver of a pay phone (as you all remember, his cell phone is not meant for calls). He bit his lip from the inside, his aquamarine orbs growing anxious. He decided to tell a white lie. "You could say that."

The blonde looks down at his beverage, shirring the straw around idly. "Oh… you don't like who you see. I get it."

The redhead closed his eyes and let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "It's not that. More of it's the other way around. _You_ might not like who you see."

Naruto immediately perks up, glad that the problem wasn't himself. Soon after, however, he falters and feels saddened. "What are you saying? I don't care who you are. I… I like the you that I know, so why should your face be any different?"

"Because you know me outside of the e-mails." He says flatly, his voice low.

"Just come inside, Resshin." the other demands.

Gaara feels he has no choice but to comply. "Alright."

**Click.**

Naruto sits up straighter in his chair, his eagerness getting the best of him. _This is it…!_ he thought elatedly. He hears the ring of the bell above the door and the pacing of countless footsteps. _One of those sets of feet,_ he knows, _has to my earthquake._ A body plops down on the other side of his booth, in the seat right behind him. Naruto puzzles over that, wondering of it was Resshin afraid to show his face or someone else entirely.

He got his answer to that when someone says: "Close your eyes."

Naruto obeys, as he conceals cobalt blue orbs behind light tan lids. A chill runs up his spine as he recognized those words in his e-pal's voice.

"Are they closed?" Resshin asks behind him, a tint of uncertainty in his tone.

"Yes." He nods for added effect, even though he knows Resshin can't see it.

The music playing over Starbuck's speakers vaguely enters Naruto's ears as he waits for the sound of Resshin's bottom meeting the seat across from him. The voice singing over the radio sounds like The Goo Goo Dolls. And though he didn't know it, it was their song 'Feel the Silence', which ironically matched the mood at the moment. The lyrics drifted around the blonde's skull:

_And if we feel the silence  
Holding this all inside us  
Looking for something more to say…  
__  
And I don't know where I'm going  
Only know where I been  
But you move through my soul like a hurricane wind  
I've been so lost for so long  
I don't know how to get back again…  
__  
And we're drowning in the water  
That flows under this bridge  
When you're fighting the currents  
You forget how to live  
And I wanted to reach you but I don't know where to begin…  
__  
You remain  
A promise unfulfilled until today…  
__And if we feel the silence  
Holding this all inside us  
Everything means more now than  
Words could explain…_

The satisfying thud of a body moving into the seat across from Naruto resounded in his ears, and he smiled vaguely. Coyly, he asks, "Can I open my eyes now?"

"…Yes."

_And if we feel the silence  
Leaving this all behind us  
When it's gone what will you say?_

_How do we hold on…?  
__How do we hold on?  
__How do we hold on…?  
How do we hold on?  
How do we hold…_

Naruto opened his eyes and adjusted them to the light to find red. Dark crimson-red hair like blood, a faded red t-shirt, and a red-and-black necklace. Next he noticed the blue: a dark blue denim jacket and pale blue-green eyes. The last thing he noticed were the black rings hiding the sleepless bruises around those eyes, and the milky peach skin that surrounded the whole package. The blonde blinked a few times, noticed that the boy with the sideways bangs and tightly drawn lips and lengthy hair was someone he knew from school. This boy before him was someone who sat near him in Chemistry class, in fact.

_You lie awake at night  
With blue eyes that never cry._

Rendered speechless for the time being, all Naruto could do was watch as Gaara kept his eyes cast away from his own cerulean ones and said evenly: "Nice to meet you, Shippuuden. I'm Resshin."


	17. Chapter 16: Spontaneous Combustion

Chapter 16: Spontaneous Combustion

Gaara sat nervously before his e-pal, watching his eyes flicker behind closed lids. "Can I open my eyes now?" the blonde asks him.

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "…Yes."

The redhead can't bring himself to make eye contact, though he watches the blonde's reaction out of the corner of his sight. He feels an odd sensation rush over him from head to gut, a green-ish sort of feeling as he feels Naruto scrutinize him.

As evenly as possible, Gaara says: "Nice to meet you, Shippuuden. I'm Resshin."

He waits patiently for Naruto's reaction, all the while clenching his fists in his lap. No one has ever made him feel so insecure of himself. No one has ever made his heart beat so fast or his stomach flip this violently. It caused Gaara to crawl around in his own skin, feeling as if he had been stripped down to the bare essentials, uncovered and revealed for what he truly was. _Not the most agreeable feeling to have in the world,_ Gaara reflects dejectedly.

He's brought out of his thoughts, however, when he jolts upright at the sound of palms slamming facedown on the tabletop. He blinks a few times at Naruto, bewilderment filling his eyes but not touching his face.

"That's not right," the blonde murmurs more or less crossly. "You can't be Resshin; he's so… _different_," he emphasizes, his voice still small and low. "And I…" _Hate you,_ he's about to say, but it doesn't sound right. He didn't hate Gaara anymore, not after their truce. So he says in place of those two words: "You're no friend of mine in school." His eyes narrowed down at the table in disbelief, and Gaara felt a pang of frustration.

"'Different' how, Naruto? Did you say but a moment ago on the phone that my face shouldn't make any difference? Does the 'school' me you detest so much even exist?" He kept his voice down and in a monotone, as difficult as it was for him to do in this situation. The latter question was the one even he didn't know, but he asked it anyway. It seemed fitting.

No reply.

Gaara tried again: "If you think about it, it's not that hard to figure out. I'm surprised I hadn't figured it out myself when we were in the hallway that day and you were reading one of my e-mails, saying that your e-pal was 'shaken up' and 'leads a hard life' or whatever it was you'd said," he says logically, trying to woo the blonde into accepting him. Deep down, that's all he wants at this instant.

The blonde hesitates, his flat palms (red on the undersides from smacking the table) coming together in loose fists. "Yeah, but…! And Gaara, you…! And Resshin…" he sputters, struggling to get his words (and thoughts) straight.

Obviously the blonde wasn't taking this very well.

Gaara sighed. He had expected worse; he had expected Naruto's temper to spike and cause more than just a slam on the table. He expected knuckles to connect with his jaw. Or even for Naruto's legs to carry him out the door and to his bike. Possibly even the remainder of his cold, melting coffee to be splashed across the redhead's face; he expected any of those things, but not this. This was better, though; it at least showed that Naruto was trying to process things.

As tempted as Naruto was to do any of those feared reactions, he held himself back. None of them were quite what he was feeling. He honestly was attempting to sort out his raw emotions and thoughts. The blonde's brain was literally cooking up a storm with all the views that were passing by. _No, no, no! Gaara can't be Resshin! Resshin may be a bit like Gaara with the way he types and it would kind of make sense why his first letter had been kind of blunt and reluctant, but… Resshin writes poetry! Nice poetry, about all kinds of stuff, even love. What does Gaara know about love? He doesn't even have any friends, and everyone knows his relationship with his siblings is on a tight rope. So… but then again, it would explain a lot, like the bits of his childhood he's told me about, or his likes and his likes, and even why he didn't want to come into Starbucks at the last minute. Wait a second… that's just it. That proves why he's Resshin: he cares enough about our relationship to not ruin it. And it would be ruined because of me finding out that he's Gaara, someone I've thought of as an enemy for so long… _

His thought process was quick and broken, and confusing to just about anyone besides himself. What mattered, though, was that he understood it and came to a conclusion. What mattered was his epiphany, which is what brought him to lock his gaze on Gaara's eyes, and what brought him to do what he did next.

The Uzumaki boy forced a smile, big and bold, towards the redhead. Gaara remained bewildered, not sure what to expect from a smile like that. Until he heard what the blonde had to say, that is.

"You're right, it doesn't make any difference. I like the you that Shippuuden came to know, since that's the real you, right?"

The redhead blinked. "Uh… right."

"Sorry that I kind of combusted on you. I wasn't prepared for any of **this**." He says embarrassedly, scratching his cheek just above his topmost scar.

"It's quite alright," the Sabaku boy blinks, bewildered for a new reason now. Naruto was fine with it after all. It was both a relief and a shock.

"Here," Naruto said, standing up. "Let's order something for you to drink. I already had most of mine. What would you like? I'll get it for you," he says. Mostly Naruto wanted an excuse to move, because he was feeling suddenly restless. His thoughts were still going 90 miles an hour, mostly thinking of things he'd rather not think about.

"Ah… if you insist, I suppose I'll have a chai tea latte," Gaara replies, regaining his composure subsequent to being so taken aback.

As Naruto walks away, a torn expression covers his face. It was not a torn expression of pain, but more of uncertainty, among other emotions. As a result, his face was splitting into too many expression at once, each tearing it's way down his brows, eyes, nose, mouth, and chin. Once he came up to the cash register, however, he wiped his face clean with talent, as if he were Gaara and had been doing it his whole life. He sets a teeny smile on his lips and orders his date's beverage.

While he waits for it to be made, the thoughts he didn't want Gaara to see ran a muck: _Shitshitshit, I'm so glad he didn't get that rough draft letter. That would have made this situation much worse. If I had known I was e-mailing Gaara the whole time, I might not have done this project at all. Then again, I saw something in Resshin – I mean Gaara – that I never thought could be there. A depth, a connection, that I didn't know existed. Or did I? Back in the beginning when we were assigned partners in Mr. Hatake's class, I had gotten a really weird feeling when Gaara held my hand in place. I considered it as hatred for him, but… what if it was something else? Attraction? Was there always that sense of attraction towards Gaara, or was it simply that thread, that link, of similarity that I sensed all those years ago? Was meeting the inner Gaara what made me see that invisible thread? …Why am I only asking questions? Questions don't get me anywhere. I need _answers_. _

"Here's your order, sir," the young girl winked from behind the cash register. She clearly thought that Naruto was cute with the way that she spoke. She hadn't been here at 3:00, he recalls; maybe her shift was for 3:30 or something. Nevertheless, he wasn't interested in her, so he flipped her the necessary cash and took the beverage from her hands. He doesn't even bother to get the dollar-or-so change.

Naruto strolls back over to Gaara, some of the answers to his questions beginning to fill his head. Like, for example, the attraction question. Yup, it was definitely there, now what he took the time to really piece together Resshin and Gaara as one. In his own, strange way, Gaara was easy on the eyes (so to speak). Not to mention the way he tilted his head partially to the left and held out his hands to receive his latte – a casual gesture – was somehow something Naruto had pictured Resshin would do. The blonde liked this about Gaara, and realized it wasn't so bad that his previous enemy was the person he had secretly fallen in love with. It was a detrimental thing to be sure, because what will everyone at school think? And yet it was a beneficial and appropriate thing in the same token.

"Here's your tea," Naruto said with a faint smile. The warmth of the liquid through the foam cup was nothing compared to the soft warmth of Gaara's fingertips. Naruto wondered why he hadn't noticed sooner in 6th period the heavy callous Gaara bore on his right middle finger, probably due to writing his many poems. Naruto himself had a smaller callous on his left, since he normally wrote with that hand. Lately he hasn't been doing much hand writing at all except for worksheets, math homework, the occasional drawing and taking notes; for everything else like essays and the like he's been typing. That was the way of the world now, it seemed. _I'm thinking far too much!_ the blonde scolds.

"Thank you," Gaara replies politely. He adverts his eyes as he took the capped foam container, not sure what they would give away. He still felt that exposed feeling, though it's edges were softened and it grew more welcome. _Perhaps it's good to open up to someone for real instead of over an e-mail,_ the redhead thinks dully.

"Gaara," Naruto says slowly, testing the name out on his tongue. Normally he would say the name like a cuss, but the circumstances are diverse. He can't stand to use Resshin's real name that way, not when he knows who Resshin is. Not when he could be in love with the person across from him, despite the newly discovered identity.

"Hn?" the other asks as he sips the scorching hot tea. Spicy, sweet, creamy liquid scalds the tip of his tongue. "Ouch! Dammit," he adds in a whisper.

He hears Naruto chuckle. "Did you burn your tongue?"

The poet glances up, his cool blue-green eyes daring to match Naruto's. "Unfortunately, yes."

Naruto smiles. "You should have taken the lid off and blown on it." _You know, I could get used to being with Gaara. He's just like everyone else, really. Why had I thought he was such a cold-hearted monster? It had been solely that one day, aside from a snarky comment or two. And even then, he was probably only in a bad mood. I should have been more understanding. …Wait, is that what Sasuke had meant when he mentioned my 'temper'? It's not like I hold grudges… right? Shit. _

Gaara shrugs. He removes the lid and brings the cup up to his lips, blowing periodically and taking a few miniscule sips. Naruto cocks his head. The way Gaara moved… it was mature; graceful, even. Much different than his own clumsy actions. Again, why hadn't he noticed in the past? It was as if upon finding out the truth, Naruto's eyes were opened to take in Gaara – **Resshin** – for everything that he is and does.

"So…" Naruto starts, trying to stir some conversation. He sucks up some of the dregs of his icy coffee, trying to think of a topic. When he was about to choose one, the boy across from him spoke.

"I've known that you were Shippuuden for a little while now, Naruto," he says so plainly, as if he were talking about the weather.

The blonde chokes on his beverage for moment, coughing into his hand. "Uwuh?! Since when?"

"Hmm…" Gaara thinks. "Since Tuesday or Wednesday, I believe."

Naruto's face pales. "That long?"

Gaara nodded and sighed somewhat guiltily. "I'm sorry, but I lied when I said something came up Friday. Really, nothing was going on, I just… well, you can probably guess by the hesitancy I showed before meeting with you today. You had every right to be angry with me that night, and every right to get angry at me again."

The random confessions were starting to wear on Naruto. His brows puckered slightly. "Tch, I won't deny that I'm feeling a little pissed at you right now. Truth be told, I kind of want to yell at you for standing me up."

"But...?" Gaara hints, looking over the top of his steaming chai tea.

"But we're in a public place and I can understand why you did it. So… I guess I forgive you." He shrugs a little reluctantly. He leans back in the booth and crosses his arms. "As long as you're telling secrets, let me tell one: because of you, Placebo music has grown on me." He grins as a miscellaneous occurrence with Sakura about Lee comes to mind. "And… I know someone who has a crush on you. But it's not like they know your Resshin side, which brings me to my next secret: I'm glad I got to know that side of you. At first I wasn't able to believe it, but it makes sense."

"I could obviously tell that you couldn't believe it. I knew you wouldn't from the second I discovered that you and Shippuuden were one and the same." He frowns in the smallest way at the end, preparing for what he was about to say following that. His lack of eyebrow hair, however, was making the expression hard to distinguish from the rest of his face. "Matsuri has a crush on me, of 'course. Everyone can see that."

"How did you find out, anyway? I was pretty discreet in my letters." He smirks at the end, enjoying their fresh approach of speaking to one another. "And who said I was talking about Matsuri?"

The frown on Gaara's face doesn't disappear at that last comment. In fact, it deepened. "Then who is it?"

"Ah-ah," the blonde reprimands, wagging his pointer finger back and forth. "Answer my question first."

"Fine," Gaara replies around another sip of his hot drink. "I was in the library when you were writing an e-mail to me. The one asking me to read a poem out loud. I saw my address typed into the 'to' bar and automatically knew that you were my assigned e-pal. Although I had my suspicions earlier that day when I heard you laugh to Kiba in the nervous manner you do on the phone with me."

Naruto whistles lowly. "Damn. That wasn't too long ago, but still… I should've been more careful. Who knows, Friday could have gone a lot different if we had both not known who the other was."

The redhead nods in agreement. "Indeed." After a pause, he inquires: "So, who is it that supposedly likes me?"

"Lee."

The poet shakes his head. "You're pulling my leg."

"If I was, your shoe would come off."

"That's not funny, and neither is the lie about Lee."

"No lie. Sakura told me. Plus, he was about to tell me a couple weeks ago when we had gone to the movies… now I see why. That complicates things." Naruto says gravely, finishing off his frappichino and setting the empty plastic cup off to the side of the table near the window.

"Complicates them how?" Gaara poses in a mystified tone.

"Er, well…" Naruto starts, not sure how to word this one. Beforehand, Lee had been reluctant to tell because he knew Naruto detested Gaara. In this case, Naruto's reasoning has changed. Truth was, it complicated things because he liked Gaara, and that fact that someone else did in addition made it a sort of love triangle; not that Gaara would be likely to chose either one (a thought which saddened the blonde). "Because Lee's my friend and so are you, so it'd be… weird." He says in the end.

Gaara can say but three words in reply to that: "I'm your friend?"

The hurricane throws a hand up behind his head and ruffles his spikes above the nape of his neck. "Well, yeah! I mean, I know I said earlier that at school you're no friend of mine, but… Resshin is my friend, and since he's you, I can't hate you anymore. So you're my friend, too, now, I guess…" _Gah, that was horrible! It made no sense. If Gaara understood what I meant, I'll be amazed._

Save for he did identify with what Naruto had said. "I can see how that logic works. And I suppose Shippuuden was my first true friend, which makes you my first friend."

"Really? Hmm." _Glad that's established,_ Naruto nods to both himself and Gaara. A peaceful silence came between the two then, except for the filler of music which played over the radio softly in the café. _Starbucks plays some good music,_ Naruto thinks dully as he stands. "Well, I'm going to go throw this way real quick… be right back."

"Fine."

On his way to garbage, Naruto can only think of how awkward this is. He had thought meeting Resshin would be like… okay, so, maybe not so similar what he had thought, for his idea of their meeting was like the moments in animes where bubbles fill the corners of the screen and the two get all sparkly-eyed and embrace. So maybe not that drastic, or even as mushy as the birds' meetings in his dreams. Still, he had expected something slightly warmer than this. Or maybe he hadn't? Resshin was never much of a warm person to begin with, but he seemed a lot better than Gaara.

Again Naruto found himself comparing one side of someone to the other, and it was wrong. They are one and the same, he tells himself as his empty plastic cup thuds against the inner walls of the trash can. He returned to his seat about to say something when Gaara does instead (real shocker there). "Are you uncomfortable with me?"

The blonde blinks once or twice. Never before has he been so confused by something and blinked so much in one day, let alone in one hour. "Uh… what?"

"It just seems like we've reached a dead end. Is it because I make you uncomfortable?"

"Well, let me tell you, you're not the most un-intimidating guy I've met."

"'Un-intimidating' isn't a word, but I get what you mean. I can be a bit… unapproachable at times." Gaara admits, taking the opportunity to look down at his drink in a nod and take in another mouthful of the hot tea.

Naruto blows air out his mouth in a half-grunt. "Hht. I'll say. But that's not the case when you're online. You must be one hell of an actor to play off so coldly at school yet so open on the net."

The Sabaku boy shakes his head, causing his hair to quiver and nearly reveal the tattoo above his left eye. "That's not true. I'm almost the same on the internet."

"Not with me you weren't," Naruto remarks bluntly.

"I'm aware of that."

"So… what are you saying?" the blonde urges, a perplexed look on his facial features.

"I think the cause for my openness was you," he admits slowly, not sure why he said this.

To say that Naruto was merely 'surprised' would be an understatement. He was more in the 'flabbergasted' range. "Seriously? But why me?"

"I haven't a clue," Gaara sighs. "It could be because of how you acted towards me, or what you said, or how persistent you were. Whatever the reason, you got to witness a part of me I didn't think I would ever share."

"Like what? Your poetry and stuff?" the blonde poses, leaning forward on his elbows. He wanted to clarify everything prior to giving his opinion. Plus, he was interested; it was like Resshin was coming back to him instead of the quiet Gaara that had been sitting there not too long ago.

The redhead crosses his legs tensely under the table. "No, not only that, because some of my lyrics and poems make it to websites like DeviantART and Live Journal. It's the other things, like me telling you about parts of my childhood and such…" Gaara says lowly and evenly.

"Ah," Naruto breathes out indulgently.

Pause. Just like the phone calls all over again.

"Shipp– I mean, Naruto," Gaara says suddenly, unable to keep the hint of curiosity from his voice. "Those bird dreams you mentioned once or twice in your recent e-mails… what happened in them?"

The blonde panics, not sure what to tell the redhead. He didn't want to let him know how lovey-dovey (no bird pun intended) the dreams were. "Um… what's your tattoo of, anyway? You wouldn't tell Kiba or me in Chem."

Gaara could sense that Naruto was making a desperate effort to change the subject, and halfheartedly the poet complied. A curt sigh escapes his lips as he says behind his raised foam cup: "I'll show you later."

"Really? Cool! But hey, can you at least tell me why or how you got it? 'Cause in 8th grade I remember you hiding your forehead under a hat for a long time until your hair was long enough to cover that spot." The hurricane says lightly, glad that the conversation was diverted from his dreams so easily.

His e-pal sighs heavily through his nose for a minute, the force of his breath making his open drink ripple. "I was drunk, Kankurou was determined, and the tattoo artist didn't give a shit."

The blue-eyed boy stared hard at Gaara. "Seriously?"

"Don't I look and sound serious?"

There was no doubt that he both looked and sounded serious; he hardly needed to ask, but then again it was Gaara's manner of acting sarcastic. "That's quite an odd way to describe how you got a tattoo, you know. Now I can't wait to see what the hell it is!" After a pause, the blonde laughs. "So that's what you meant when it was a mistake. But hey, how come it's impossible to remove?"

_Is Naruto really that slow?_ "Clearly it's downright impossible remove because it's directly on my forehead. It would be very difficult to laser or cut it away when it's on taunt skin in an easy-to-bleed area. In fact, it bled quite a lot when I first got it, though I was too drunk to care."

Naruto whistled long and low. "Damn, you're one tough cookie, Gaara. I would have been a little scared if I had blood training down over one of my eyes. Plus, as high of a tolerance I have for pain, I don't think I could have something needled and inked into my _head_," he says matter-of-factly with a touch of bafflement.

Gaara shrugs. "It's not such a big deal."

A short silence. Naruto broke this relatively quickly by asking: "Hey, so,_ when_ are you going to show me?"

The redhead looked annoyed. It only showed through the way he closed his eyes and set down his cup, but it was still a token of annoyance. "If you keep pestering me, I may not show you at all."

"Aw, that's no fun, Ress– I mean Gaara." He rubbed the back of his head, realizing that they kept accidentally calling one another by their created nicknames. "It's rude to promise one thing and then change your mind on it!" he pouts in the childish way he does.

Gaara makes a noise that sounds like a click of the tongue. "And it's rude to bug someone about their tattoos."

Naruto flashes him a grin. Arguing with him like this is kind of… fun. Flirtatious, even. And despite who he was talking to (a previous enemy and another male), he liked it. "Point taken."

From there the two chatted flippantly over a few subjects, all the while Naruto appreciating that Gaara didn't bring up the dreams again. That would have to be saved for another day, on another 'date'. Which, come to think of it, the blonde still refused to refer to their meeting as. It came to a warm close as Gaara finished off the last of his chai tea latte and gave Naruto a teeny, invisible smile that didn't arrive at his lips but did plainly show in his eyes. "I'm glad we could meet and have coffee together," he says formally.

The Uzumaki boy almost thinks that the smile was purely out of politeness and not at all real, but he knew Resshin better than that. It appeared to be a smile that was out of relief, a smile that said, 'I'm glad you didn't reject me'. Naruto smiles in return, not showing that he understood the subtext. "Anytime. And you owe me a gander at that tattoo; don't forget!"

"I shan't."

_…Who says 'shan't' nowadays? Unless he's just messing with me,_ the blonde frowns, although he grins his puckered brows away. "Bye, Resshin. Have a good rest of the day." He says, purposely using the nickname.

"You too… Shippuuden," he remarks, holding out his hand.

Naruto blinks down at it, the action feeling vaguely familiar. He grasps the pale hand and shakes it twice, the denim of the somewhat shorter boy's jacket grazing his knuckles. _Come to think of it,_ Naruto realizes,_ I never noticed the height difference. I'm not much taller, maybe by only a half to three quarters of an inch, but still…_

As the poet walks out towards his car across the road, Naruto wonders what school tomorrow is going to bring.

One thing's for sure: Sasuke was going to be there, and that's a slice of hell in itself.

* * *

**A/N: i'm oddly not satisfied with this, but i'll see what you guys have to say about it.**

**and you know, a lot has yet to happen in this fic: Naruto and Gaara officially becoming a couple, Sasuke and Lee reacting to that (as well as Naruto's friends), the hints about Gaara's father dying coming to a close, Temari and Kankurou making another appearence, Sasuke joining the ANBU, Itachi (who's part fo the Akatsuki, remember) finding out about Sasuke running away/joining the ANBU/going back to Konoha High, as well as Naruto and Gaara talking about their shared dreams, Gaara telling Naruto that he had lied and really did get that rough draft letter, and having the two boys having their first kiss together. **

**YUP, LOTS HAS TO HAPPEN ALRIGHT. XD**


	18. Chapter 17: Join Us in This Mess

Chapter 17: Join Us in This Mess

"Get your lazy ass up, dobe! Your alarm's been beeping for 10 minutes straight!" comes Sasuke's voice from the direction of the bathroom. Naruto could hear the water running, along with the mumbled sound of something in the runaway's mouth, most likely a toothbrush. No Sasuke cooking breakfast this morning, it seems. Maybe it was his jealousy…

The blonde groaned and lifted his head from his pillow, propping himself off his stomach and onto his elbows. He had slept all too well, dreaming of Gaara in the weirdest manner…

"You really should get up, son!" Kyuubi hollers from downstairs. "I'm leaving now, by the way," he adds, lowering his volume to some extent.

"Drive safe!" Naruto says back, his voice groggy from going unused all night. He always said this when he could, hoping it would truly save his half-uncle. He was just about the only family Naruto had left; he'd hate to lose the guy, even if they can't always get along.

"Naruto," Sasuke grunts from his doorway. "I'm taking the liberty of driving us to school. If you're not ready in ten minutes I'm leaving without you." And then the Uchiha left, his retreating footsteps thumping down the stairs.

At the mention of a time limit, Naruto hops out of bed, springing into action like a loaded gun. He flies like a bullet across his room, throwing on this shirt and that for under his school uniform. He noticed one of his uniform sets were missing; that was probably Sasuke's doing. Despite the fact that he was a good two inches taller than Naruto, they were roughly the same size anyhow. Which brought a shuddering thought to mind, one which involved Sasuke's crush on him. As much as he had promised to stay the raven-haired boy's friend, he could still never see himself that way with the Uchiha. The thought made him cringe. He loved Sasuke like a brother, and no more. There was someone else he was currently trying to decide if he was in love with or not.

Or if they could possibly ever love him back. He knew from yesterday that he scratched the surface of Resshin's – Gaara's – heart, making a small indent into his world, being at least his friend. The indent wasn't very deep; it's like biting into an apple that was so cold and hard that your teeth became icy and you pull away without taking a chunk out, only leaving teeth marks in the skin. Naruto now had to worm his way into Gaara's heart completely, burrowing all the way in to the core. And somewhere along the way, he knew, he'd find out if he wants to go further, and if he really loves Gaara. Because he grasped the concept of exactly what he felt for Resshin all this time: it wasn't real love since he didn't know who Resshin was. No, the sensation he got was a fascination, a curiosity, and an attraction. Not a physical one, mind you; a soulful one.

In their meeting yesterday… Naruto grew confused. Back in chemistry class on the day he got into that argument with Gaara he had said, _'I don't know what issue I have with you.'_ It made sense now. The evidence has always been there, lingering in the background disguised as hate or resentment. But in the end Naruto admitted something to himself: he's always admired Gaara. Not quite like an idol or something of the like, oh no; the feeling was pure sympathetic attraction. And it helped that the redhead had a sort of handsome look about his frame and features, regardless of how strange the combination might appear to anyone else.

All these things occurred to the blonde as he got ready for school and drove in the car with Sasuke, the only voice connecting the two friends being the voice of the lead singer of Blue October. Naruto recognized it to be one of Sasuke's favorite songs, 'Drop'. Oddly, he didn't mind the non-verbal car ride or the sound of the rock band. It was a blunt edge against his sharp thoughts, balancing him out. He couldn't say the same for Sasuke, however. The other teen looked positively seething. It's a silent, steaming-through-the-ears sort of seethe, though a seethe nonetheless. Sasuke sensed the moment Naruto had gotten home last night that he had had a good time; which meant less of a chance for him to be with his blonde best friend.

Love triangles. How Naruto hated them.

If you wanted to get technical, there were even love squares, or some other geometric shape that defined the complicated crushes of Konoha High. Sakura and Ino like Sasuke, but Sasuke likes Naruto, but Naruto and Lee like Gaara. What could be more twisted? Well, if Gaara liked either Sakura or Ino, that would certainly twist things around and make it a love _circle_, or at least a web of some design.

Without meaning to, the Uzumaki boy sighs. His head falls forward an inch at the action, as if to prove his point. Sasuke peers sideways at him. "Thinking too much again, aren't you?"

"**Yes**," Naruto groans, clearly frustrated. His hand is brought to his face to rake through his hair as he tips his head back in his seat, blowing air out his mouth. "In retrospect, maybe it wasn't the brightest idea…"

"What wasn't?" the raven-haired boy tries.

"Punching Gaara Sabaku. It started this whole mess I'm in now."

He was very tempted to take his eyes off the road and stare his nearly black eyes at Naruto, a dark eyebrow raised in confusion and curiosity. Instead he skillfully masks his face and doesn't turn to look at the blonde. "What mess? And how would not punching that guy help your current situation?"

"It'd make things easier. Because then Gaara wouldn't have become my enemy, and…" he drifts off, not sure what to say exactly.

"Wait." Sasuke demands, pulling into the school parking lot and hitting the breaks. "Don't tell me…" he begins, unbuckling to turn in his seat to stare at Naruto. "…That _Gaara's_ your e-pal?!"

"Er, uh… no?" he says weakly. Sasuke said not to tell him, so he didn't; he lied. Those eyes of his were terribly piercing… they almost hurt. Naruto looks away. He shifts in his seat, unbuckling himself and reaching for the door handle. "The bell's going to ring in a few minutes, so we better –" Suddenly the lock clicks and he's left blinking for a second. He turns to Sasuke. "What the hell?! Sasuke, this is not funny! Unlock the door!"

He pops the lock only to have Sasuke smirk and lock it again. "You're lying to me. It is him, isn't it? Tell me, or you're not getting out of here."

"Yeah, he is. So quit pestering me and let me out!"

An odd, considerably creepy looks passes over the Uchiha's face. "I see," he states in a tone that matches his expression. Something devious was cooking up behind his eyes, something fueled by envy stirring around and plotting in the recesses of his mind.

The negative emotion that followed the click of the unlocking door shivered across Naruto's skin, much different than the goose bumps he used to get around the mentioned poet. Sasuke could be kind of… scary at times. **Threatening.** The Uchihas in general were rather dangerous people; Itachi especially. He knew fighting styles Naruto's seen in all those action movies, most of his moves revolving around martial arts. For this he was admitted into the Akatsuki gang, but to join such a mafia-like group you have to kill someone. The blonde shuddered at the thought, and recalled Sasuke saying he wanted to adhere with the ANBU, an opposing gang that fought more on the 'good' side rather than the bad. But instead of turning criminals into jail or the real police, they would take matters into their own hands. No matter who you went with, you were a murderer.

The blonde fled from the car, hurrying up to the school and scurrying inside, hoping Sasuke wasn't too heavily jealous. Did he really like Naruto that much? He wasn't going to do anything stupid, right? _Teme,_ he thinks grumpily as he spins his locker combination.

"Hello, Naruto!" says a cheerful voice. The blonde pops open the metal door and turns to look at a black-haired boy clad in bright green.

"'S up, Lee?" he grins. Inwardly he felt almost guilty for seeing Lee right after talking about him yesterday and having coffee with his crush. It felt like an unkind thing to do.

"All is well with me! My grades are going back up in geometry, and I have decided to go out for cross country when football season is over," the youthful boy smiles.

"That's awesome!" Naruto says enthusiastically.

"You should join, too! Then we can run together!"

The blonde shrugs. "Nah, that's okay; I think I'll stick to only messing around with basketball on the sidelines."

Lee's face melts into a pout, his eyes getting big. "Aw…" he says in a disappointed tone.

Distantly, Naruto wondered if Lee knew that Sakura told him about who he liked. He also wondered if Gaara would say anything about it, since he hasn't since Naruto confirmed he wasn't joking about such a fact. Speaking of Gaara… Naruto wondered if he should sit by the redhead in Chemistry on purpose today. Everyone would probably question the change, and he could say that they're friends now. If anyone asks how… well, he could tell the truth: through the Faceless-and-Nameless program. No other details should be needed at that point, and everyone would find it relatively understandable. Because throughout the entire school, Naruto bet half the people who replied back more than a handful of times became comrades. Or more than such, which the blonde was wondering could happen between himself and his earthquake. He discovered who Gaara truly is deep down; he's talked to him for the past four weeks enough to know, and it was this version of Gaara he liked and wanted to get to know more, if possible.

Funny how the Uzumaki boy's thoughts kept returning to his convene with the not-so-reserved-any-longer redhead yesterday. But it was a big deal for him, so who could blame him?

Technology class rolls around, and Naruto finds Iruka next him as they class starts a slideshow presentation assignment. He jerks in surprise, not at all expecting the tan man to be plopping himself down in the chair beside the blonde. "So, how was your month of e-mailing, Naruto?" he asks curiously, secretly making an endeavor to learn if his experiment had been a success.

The teen in question inclines his head to the right to look into caring brown eyes. He smiles warmly. "It went great! Between you and me, Mr. Umino, I planned and met up with Resshin at Starbucks on Sunday."

The teacher gets a hint of a worried expression on his features. "Did you? How'd it go?"

Naruto makes a face. "At first… not so well. But as things progressed, I guess you could call us friends."

Iruka sighs with relief. "I'm glad to hear that."

The student puts on a sneaky, fox-like grin and he raises an accusing finger at the man. "You set us up as partners on purpose, didn't you? You knew all along what you were doing, and you even got Mr. Hatake in on it for Chemistry! Shame on you, sensei. I should be mad at you."

He laughs, standing up from the seat beside Naruto. He starts to walk away, except prior to leaving Naruto alone he rests a hand on his shoulder and winks, "Maybe I did. But it was for your own good, now, wasn't it?"

"Yup. Thanks for that, actually…" he replies weakly, rubbing the back of his head.

"You're very welcome," Iruka chuckles. He releases Naruto's shoulder and proceeds down the aisle of computer desks and students in chairs, making his way up to his desk.

In the meantime, Naruto hurries to try and catch up to everyone else, trying to make his slideshow as amazing as possible.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara found it queer the electricity he was giving off today, both literally and figuratively. Literally, for he would every so often statically shock himself on some object (usually metal, like a screw in his chair or his locker), and figuratively, for he felt jittery and almost excited, though his schooled mask of calm kept it from reaching his face. The sole informative sign was the spark in his light teal eyes and the shakiness of his normally steady hands.

The redhead was not one for much emotion. It appeared, however, that his teeny, rare smiles and even rarer occurrence of nearly laughing descended from Shippuuden's e-mails, and now seeing Naruto – the same person – again without the unnoticeable wince/sigh he used to give knowing he'd walk into 6th period and have someone who hated his guts be merely a few feet away. Even during their so-called truce he felt the hesitation to cooperate in Naruto's aura, a hesitation to accept.

But on Sunday… not quite 24 hours ago… something fell into place, clicking nicely like a puzzle piece, and suddenly the whole picture is much brighter and everything is different. A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but you understand the meaning. That something was ever present, dancing inside of Gaara's skin as static electricity. He was, for once in his life, not completely a blank slate.

What is it about his e-pal that was so alluring to make him happy to see him? Was it Naruto's otherwise cheerful aura, his understanding letters? Was it his bright smile and crystal blue eyes so deep that anyone would get lost at a simple glance? Was it his sunny, mostly optimistic personality? Perhaps it was way he never gave up, or could get charmingly feisty when he needs to. It could be anything, and this made Gaara all the more confused. Why is the clumsy blonde doing this to him…? Why is he making Gaara, normally a serene individual with nearly no emotion and distant to everyone else, feel whatever this feeling is?

Perplexing. Very perplexing indeed…

o0o0o0o0o

"Uwahh, I saw Sasuke today! At first I wasn't sure if it was him or not because he's supposed to be in the Sound Academy, but it _was_ him! He said he secretly ran away and transferred back! Isn't that so badass?!" Sakura, Ino, and some other girls were saying in the class transfer time, Sakura and Naruto on their way to lunch while Ino and the others were on their way to class.

"Ooh, I know! I got chills when I saw his face… I'm so happy he's back! But does anyone know when he came back, or where he's staying? Obviously his brother doesn't know…"

Naruto was getting sick of hearing their girly chatter; not to mention he was feeling a little heavy with guilt wince he knew the answers to those questions but wasn't allowed to speak them. Kyuubi and Sasuke had made him promise not to say a word. And like it's already been said from before, a promise is something Naruto maintains. After all, didn't he follow through on his promise to not let Sasuke's crush on him change their friendship? Out of all his promises, though, this one wore him out; it's a fairly demanding one to keep.

"Yeah, I know. But hey, let's ask Naruto. He's Sasuke's best friend, after all."

"Good point!"

"Naru… do you know anything about Sasuke's return?" Sakura questions with a poke to his left bicep.

Said blonde snapped out of his thoughts, glancing into seafoam green eyes. "Huh? Kn-know what about Sasuke…?" he poses, striving to play it dumb.

She rolls her eyes. "Do you know when he came back or where he's living right now? That's only what the whole female portion of the junior population has been asking all day. Even if he is… um, _gay_…" Sakura adds in a murmur, wincing in the tinniest bit as if she were hurt by the fact. Which, really, she was; her heart remained in the Uchiha boy's grasp, which made him never being able to like her back a downright stab to the heart.

"Oh, uh, no… Nope, I don't know any of that stuff. Sasuke wouldn't tell me," he lies, although there's some truth to it: Sasuke wouldn't tell him since there was no need; he was living with him, after all. That is, until he could work up the money to get his own place, because then he will not be living at the Uzumaki house.

Speaking of which, Sasuke was determined to get a job this week or the next; the sooner, the better. Gaara, too; he was running low on the amount of money Kankurou had left him with, and Temari had her own college problems to worry about… so it was left to him to get a job to pay for everything extra that Kankurou and Temari couldn't help him with. In the end, both boys would more than likely get cheap, slacker jobs, something like working at a restaurant or bookstore or if worse came to worse, a fast food place. If worse came to worse, they would each need two jobs.

Naruto plopped himself down in his seat at lunch, everyone filing into the room and going up in line our surrounding him at the table. He yanks out his cash, counts it quickly, and sets down his backpack near his seat. "Anyone wanna share a whole pizza with me?" he offers, looking around. Chouji and Kiba raise their hands, immediately taking him up on the offer. He grins. "'Kay, good. Be right back."

He stood from his seat and whirled around to face the lunch lines, promptly ramming into someone's shoulder. He staggered back and looked up to apologize. His gaze met with a flushed Sasuke. "Watch where you're going, dobe," he grins.

"Sasuke! You have this lunch hour, too?" Naruto smiles. He seemed to be forgetting all about their awkward incident in the car that morning.

The boarding school runaway nods. He works his way around Naruto and sits down at the table, making Sakura emit a tiny squeal. He picks up something from his tray and takes a sip, and on that note Naruto set back on track to getting that pizza.

Once he returned, a gradual bored frown grew on his facial features as every talked to Sasuke and asked him questions. The blonde finished off the last bite of his third piece of pizza, licking his fingers mindlessly. Sasuke observed this action and misinterpreted it, a smirk appearing on his face for a brief moment.

Naruto rolled his eyes and blew air out his mouth. "What is this, a press conference? Just leave Sasuke alone. I mean, really, none of you even bothered to ask about how meeting my e-pal went, since Sasuke is _such _a big distraction," he comments, making an exaggeration in his drawl.

"Oh! Naruto, I'm sorry. How was your date with Resshin?" Sakura laughs, being the first to notice. "And don't hold out on us! We want all the juicy details." There was a wicked twang in her words, nearly like a threat, and on the brink of being dirty.

The blonde blushed and scratched the back of his head, his fingers intermingling with golden locks. "Er… well… it wasn't like **that**," he clarifies. "See, we were supposed to meet Friday but he unintentionally stood me up, so we went for Sunday at Starbucks. It was funny, 'cause he didn't want to come in at first, but I talked him into it. Actually, it was really funny, because he even made me close my eyes so that I couldn't see him at first, haha. But when I did, boy, what a surprise! It was… um… heh, now you're all gonna laugh: Resshin is Gaara Sabaku."

Everyone at the table (save for Kiba, who – as Naruto predicted – began laughing) went dead silent. Sasuke already knew form this morning, although some of those details he hadn't. Another pang of jealousy hit the Uchiha, but he ignored it and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're shitting me, right?" Sakura deadpans, thinking automatically of poor Lee and the raven-haired boy across from her. Neither of them would get Naruto or Gaara now, she feared.

"Dude, you look like you were okay with it," Kiba states as his laughter slowed. "But I mean, how could you be? He's like your greatest rival or something."

"He **was**," Naruto emphasizes. "But not any longer. See, after I had a mini explosion I realized that his outer self didn't matter, because he even asked me: 'Does the me you know at school even exist?' and he has a point! Everyone makes Gaara out to be this cold, nonchalant guy with no heart, but he's not like that! Talking to him for a month proved that," he says in defense. "Besides, if you let him… he's interesting to talk to."

Strange looks were exchanged between Naruto's classmates and comrades, most of which being doubtful. Could a relationship like theirs last? This seemed to be the question in everyone's minds. Sasuke's was a bit different, however; it hoped that a relationship like Naruto's and Gaara's wouldn't last. This was the spite talking, for obviously he didn't wish any misfortune on his best friend; he merely wished for a means of getting to his best friend on that level, something Gaara accomplished with a handful of letters. It pissed the Uchiha off.

Which lead to his change of the topic. "Who knows how to get into the ANBU?"

For a second time that period the table fell silent. Shikamaru was the one to break it this time. "Why would you want to know? Gangs aren't the wisest thing to get information on."

"I'm thinking about joining, that's why."

More silence.

A switch in Sakura got triggered, and she spun on Sasuke, an act the love-struck girl has never been known to do. Unlike Ino and the other fangirl-like admirers, she truly was in love with Sasuke, and didn't always agree with what he had to say; this being a prime example. "What?! No. You can't, Sasuke; those people are dangerous, no matter how much good they say they do. The ANBU is a mafia and because of them my cousin was killed. Or have you forgotten the victim back in 2000 that was caught in a crossfire?!" Then the cherry blossom girl was spinning on Naruto. "Did you know anything about this decision?"

Naruto blinks once. "Y-yeah, but I didn't think he would go through with it…"

"You didn't? _Chleh_, thanks for the support." Sasuke says with a click of his tongue.

The blonde frowns. "Well if you're being serious about this, then I side with Sakura. You shouldn't join some gang, Sasuke. It won't bring your parents back from the dead."

"No, but it'll help avenge them! I lost half my family to that damn Akatsuki, including my brother and cousins but in a different way. Obito and Madara… and Itachi… and my parents… and countless others. I will avenge the ones who have died, and as for the others…" he says calmly and lowly, a frightening undertone in his words. He shakes his head. "I'm not sure. But I can't do it any other way. My only choice is to join the ANBU. That damn Sound Academy was helping, either; it's like a cult they're raising over there, something completely else, and I didn't like it."

Shikamaru sighs, leaning back in his chair with his fingers laced behind his head under the short, choppy ponytail he was sporting in back. "Fine, be that way. I can see you have your reasons and are going to stick to your decision. It's pointless and much too troublesome to talk you out of it."

Chouji nods in agreement with his friend, finding no words and instead filling his wordless response with munching.

Kiba shrugs and Naruto looks defeated by Sasuke's words, where as Sakura is placing her hands on her hips with a stern frown on her face. "If you join the AMBU, Sasuke, then I'll never forgive you," she warns.

"Like I've ever cared who'd forgive me and who wouldn't," he retorts. She looks taken aback by this.

Naruto puts a hand between them. "Now come on guys… no need to be like that! Sasuke hasn't done anything yet, and the ANBU – or Akatsuki for that matter – don't normally take recruits in high school. So, you know, it's not like he'll get in, anyway! So you can still forgive him, right, Sakura?"

She blows air out her mouth, making pink locks flutter upwards for a second. She refused to cast her green gaze at anyone in particular. "Fine. Right."

Naruto looks pleased with this response and leans away. He glances quickly at his watch, realizing that the bell was going to ring in another 3 minutes. He tosses his garbage into the trash can and picks up his backpack, zipping closed an open pouch and then swinging it up onto one shoulder.

_I wonder if Gaara is going to act any different around me now. I know I'll be acting a lot friendlier to him, but will he do the same for me or will he be the same impassive, tight-lipped guy I know him to be? Hmm, guess I'll have to wait and find out next period._ The blonde muses to himself, the bell ringing in his ears. Lunch's over; now let Chemistry begin.

o0o0o0o0o

6th period flew by. A noise of scribbling pencils and pens along with the shuffling of feet carried throughout Kakashi's classroom and his students got a head start on their homework. Gaara was currently ticking off the remaining minutes of class (which was 23) as his right hand moved across the page on the table ahead of him. He ignored most all the noise in the room, blocking it out with what Kankurou called his 'selective hearing'.

Because of this, however, he did not hear the empty chair beside him being pulled out, nor did he hear the murmur of 'hey' directed at him. Gaara did feel the rush of air as this person sat down, but took it as nothing. He kept his cool-colored eyes on the page, his styled handwriting filling up the needed sections of the white surface.

Out of the blue a forearm bumps his, temporarily causing skin to touch sleeve. He freezes at the contact, unaware of how someone could've been close enough to make it. It was then he recalled the dull noises he had ignored, and before looking at his recently acquired table partner he tried to remember whose voice had said 'hey' to him, since no one would say such a thing so lightheartedly. Giving up, the redhead inclines his head to find a smiling pair of deep blue eyes. "Oops, sorry; I'm a leftie. But I couldn't take your left since you're already sitting there…" Naruto says as his excuse, the faintest color reaching his cheeks.

Gaara's mask of nonchalant breaks enough to make a tiny frown with his invisible eyebrows. "Naruto, what are you doing in that seat?" he inquires, hiding all emotion from his voice as well as suppressing the electric feeling from earlier. The blonde was sitting awfully close… so close, in fact, that if he were to lean in, Gaara could trace with his eyes the pattern of his hurricane's irises.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Naruto retorts with a smirk full of playfulness. "I'm doing my homework with you."

"I can see that… but why?"

"Because I want to."

"And you'd want to because…?"

"Because you're my new friend, silly. And this is the only class we have together unless I go to the library every study hall," the blonde explains. That smile of his seemed to be glued in place; it wouldn't leave. He's never smiled so long and so willingly at the Sabaku boy in the past, and because of this he was left in a state of enjoyable astonishment.

"I…" Gaara starts, but catches himself. "Don't bother me with too much talk, and you can stay."

At first Naruto frowned, wondering why Gaara was acting, since clearly he had been about to say something else. But it was then he noticed the tint of color on his ears and the manner in which he broke their eye contact. It was like something a girl with a crush would do when making an endeavor to not be obvious in her crush on someone. Naruto's smile returned and he nodded, whispering: "Okay."

_This is quiet the mess,_ Gaara thinks idly as he breathes in and out and concentrates on paying no heed to Naruto's presence and writes out his assignment. His thoughts were reflecting the situation of his need for a job, his mixed emotions towards the blonde beside him, and the possible outcomes concerning all the people whom liked either himself or Naruto and what they would say/do if they knew about Naruto's draft letter and Gaara's original thoughts of feeling the same way. _I shudder to think what the Uchiha would do. It's no secret that he kissed Naruto to express his feelings sophomore year. So if he knew what his friend felt for me… Then again, the letter was uncertain and sent when he still thought I was Resshin and not Gaara. Could his feelings have changed?_

Regardless of what Naruto felt, Gaara knew it couldn't be helped. His main focus should be getting a job and not potential romance (_if that is at all the word to use,_ he pondered).

Shippuuden, however, had other ideas. He was keen on gradually getting closer to Gaara, ever intent on 'worming his way into his heart'. And so, with a less-accidental bump of the forearm, the blonde inwardly grinned and muttered another apology when his eyes connected with Gaara's. He forces a chuckle. "I keep doing that; what are we, magnets?" he jokes.

Gaara was smart enough to pick up on Naruto's flirting, which technically is what his excuses to touch the other and cracking jokes about it pointed to. Flirting is a form of flattery, friendship, or show of affection. In this case, the poet wasn't positive if Naruto meant it to be out of friendship or affection. Either way, the attention was a new experience for Gaara, and daresay he liked it. "Apparently we are, seeing as how we used to repel, but since I flipped around to show you my other side, you became…" and he drifts off. He had been about to say 'attracted to me', but that sounded… well, you get the picture. So he held his tongue, watching as the other teen flushed in the slightest and coughed into his hand.

"Something akin to that," Naruto agrees, nodding his head.

The sound of the 7th period bell startled them both, and with a shove of textbooks into backpacks and the push of chairs, the two teens split, not entirely sure where such a statement left them.

Magnets, huh? Too many and they get stuck together in one big tangled mess. But if isolated, it was a magical and perfect fit the way the two could come together. Hopefully, no pieces of metal or shreds of other magnet become obstacles…

…Although it was already too late for that.

* * *

**A/N: whoaholyhell, readers... do you have any idea how high my stats are for this story?! 32 alerts, 26 favs, over 3,598 hits, over 100 reviews... hodamn, i think i want to scream with joy and hug all of you! i never thought this story would get so far; honestly, i thoguht it'd be like my other stories, total flops. well, not quite; i mean, this story is a bit cliche with the whole letter thing, which is why i thought it'd be flopped. you know, i was thinking it might be an overused idea... but with what my reviewers say and with how high my stats are, i was proved totally wrong! thanks so much for all your support, and i promise to keep updating and keeping your interest captured. **

**by the way, in my list of 'things to come' from last chapter, there's a few more tricks i have up my sleeve mostly involving Sasuke. so look out! :D**


	19. Chapter 18: Problematic Employment

Chapter 18: Problematic Employment

When Gaara came home from school that day, shaking thoughts of Naruto from his mind, the redhead stumbled across an e-mail that sat patiently waiting for him. And it wasn't from said blonde, but a different blonde altogether.

_From: YourBiggestFAN(at)hotmail(dot)com  
To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** job search_

_Hey Gaara,_

_I'm writing to see if you sorted out that job problem now that Kanky's gone college-bound. I hope you found a stable one that pays enough part time. And one that gives you at least part of your Sundays off; those are Sabbath days, you know! No one should work, but hey, if you gotta, at least make it for only half of the day…_

_Anyway, I also wanted to ask if you know who you e-pal is and if you've met up with them. That guy seemed to make a good impression on you, and I was hoping you might become friends or something. And if you're wondering: yes, I did have a date with Shikamaru Nara. Don't kill him or anything, I swear he didn't make a move on me. Can't say I didn't do the same, haha._

_Keep working hard, little brother. I know anything you set your mind to – like a paying job or school project – you succeed in. So get out there and do your best, I'll be cheering for you even if I'm way over here._

_Your sister,  
Temari_

_P.S. If the hours are long and right after school, please take your medication to work and slug it down in the bathroom or something. Promise me, okay? No 'I forgot because of work' sort of excuses, got it? I worry about you, even if I know you can pretty much care for yourself... Bah, I'll shut up now._

Gaara shook his head at the screen, tempted to roll his eyes at his eldest sibling. She acts all tough around everyone, but has a soft spot for the redhead. He was a bit glad of that spot, though; it at least showed that someone cared. Someone loved him.

He frowns at that word, the one which ironically got inked into his forehead. Vaguely he touches the raised flesh, the red ink never fully agreeing with his skin. It's odd to think that he never let anyone tell him they love him, not even Temari who clearly did. Maybe she has said it and he chose not to hear it, or couldn't; not that it matters. Although, there was that letter from Naruto from last Wednesday… it was in his inbox, dared not to be deleted. It wasn't quite a love confession, thank God, but it was close, and it made him feel… good.

At a snail's pace Gaara types out a reply, the first he's made to her via e-mail in a long while. When he's finished he hits 'send' and closes the laptop lid, over and done with his computer time. At the moment, all he wanted was a walk. Then maybe, just maybe, he might get set on his job hunting like Temari wants.

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke was not satisfied with his new job. He had gotten it almost at first glance, the woman who was supposed to interview him automatically falling for his dark, mysterious looks and icy charm. She practically handed the position over to him on a silver platter, offering a bit higher of a pay than he deserved, what with being a part-time high school student and all. He didn't like getting jobs just because people liked him; it was annoying and a tad unjust. Still, he couldn't complain; Sasuke needed the money.

His job was for Tuesday through Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. during the week and from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Five/seven hours of work is hardly anything (equivalent to a day of school), and neither is 6 days a week. To the Uchiha, this is totally doable, even is he wasn't satisfied with where he worked or how easily he got the job.

Sasuke Uchiha has reached a new low: he works at Kohl's. Yes, Kohl's, a clothing (and other miscellaneous items) depot that's typically deemed a 'girly store'. But it had been one of the sole places within Konoha's borders that is offering working positions. Plus, with how things were progressing, he figured he would mainly be at the cash register or piling things on shelves/on hangers or something of the like. Not too much effort to be made.

Luckily it was Monday, so he didn't need to report to work today. Which was a huge relief, because Sasuke would much rather hog Naruto's time this evening than be working. Because that was going to be his strategy: woo Naruto away from his could-be first love by being a bigger part in his life. It wouldn't be an easy task to accomplish, seeing as how Sasuke had a gang to get into and a job to do after today. The ANBU could wait a little while longer, but not Kohl's (which he hated to be an employee of, but had to suck it up).

So, with this in mind, the raven-haired boy came home and jumped on Naruto, quite literally, since the blonde had been dozing with the TV on in the living room. He was shaken awake and promptly fell off the couch, staring up painfully at a black-framed pale face and dark eyes.

"Oi, I was trying to put off my homework, Sasuke! What's the big idea?"

Sasuke was standing over him now, looking down at Naruto with a blank expression. "I'm bored. Let's go do something."

Naruto rolls his eyes in annoyance, turning over to push himself up off the carpeted floor. Once he was up, he stared at Sasuke with narrowed eyes, poking a finger into the taller boy's chest twice as he spoke: "Not gonna happen after you oh-so-rudely woke me up. Plus, someone might get the wrong idea."

Sasuke smacks the tan hand that was between them, as much as he liked the contact. "Baka. I'm not asking you out on a date or anything, so no one will get the wrong idea."

Because of their love of anime and rivalry-laced relationship, the two constantly used Japanese insults on one another, although it was almost always said fondly. However, this time when Sasuke called him an idiot, it wasn't said so nicely. This made the Uzumaki boy frown. He walks around Sasuke, heading for the kitchen to get a drink as he retorts, "What's your problem lately? You're kind of freaking me out, Sasuke. And hey, how did that interview go? The least you could do is make friendly conversation and tell me if you got any sort of job or not."

The runaway sighs curtly to himself, decidedly following the blonde. He leans against one of the counters, his arms folded over his chest. "Humph. I got a job alright," he grunts. "But it's at Kohl's, which totally sucks. And I think you know what my problem is, Naruto."

Wiping his mouth after slugging down a quarter glass of orange juice, Naruto frowns for the second time in minutes. "Hey, just because Hot Topic at the mall would be more your thing, emo kid, doesn't mean Kohl's is so bad. At least you get good money from there." He pauses, his furrowed brows coming together more and lowering themselves further. "It's Gaara, isn't it?"

"Duh." Sasuke mutters, taking the emo comment in stride as if he hadn't heard it.

"Hey, he's just my friend, okay? No need to get all possessive."

"But you wish he were more than that, don't you?" he fires back coldly, making his blonde best friend physically recoil, though the movement was mostly a lean backwards, not so much a cringe or step back.

"No I don't," he says quickly and defensively, his tummy lurching at the thought of being found out.

"But you sent that one letter!"

"No I didn't! He told me that he didn't get any weird letters, which means it went to my draft after all. And you know, that was back when I didn't know who he was! Back when he was 'Resshin' and not 'Gaara'. And, er, I was throwing possibilities out there. I didn't mean it," Naruto snaps and says weakly, cocking his head to look down at the glass he had set on the table parallel to Sasuke. He didn't want the steadily growing blush to reach his face when it was already burning his ears. And he didn't want his partial lie to be confirmed by the other.

Sasuke takes this new information in, a smirk forming on his lips. "So you're not in love with him."

"No," he replies, again being slightly too quick. In his head, the blonde adds: _Not yet I'm not._ Though he dares not mention this to the teen across from him; he would shit his pants if he knew Naruto was planning to get closer to the redhead.

"Splendid."

And with that, he walks out of the kitchen, hands in his pockets, leaving the blonde to stare dumbly at his orange juice.

His conversations with Sasuke lately have been ending like this, always with exclamation points, sulking, and confusion. Unpredictably, the sole thing Naruto wanted was for Sasuke to have never gotten a crush on him. Things would be a lot less rocky if that were the case, especially their friendship. Like… is he had fallen for someone else. Maybe Sakura, or Ino, or – hell! – even Neji, since they would look kind of good together and since Neji was bisexual (although you can't tell TenTen that). Or, on second thought, maybe not the senior since TenTen would beat Sasuke into a bloody pulp for it, not to mention that Neji's and Sasuke's personalities clashed. No, that was not the wisest or at all understandable couple. Still… anyone but Naruto would be a better choice. Anyone. Well, not entirely anyone, but… oh, how Naruto's brain hurt.

To cool his thoughts, the blonde sips his beverage and sighs to himself, trying to calm his mind. _Think peaceful thoughts, Uzumaki… like… Resshin's – damn, I mean Gaara's… how come I keep calling him that? It feels weird now, almost like a pet name now that I know who he is. Whoa, a pet name?! Thoughts go away, go away… continue what you were about to say! – Peaceful thing like Gaara's poetry. Yeah, stuff like that. And NOT pet names. Or why I'd want to give him a pet name… gah!_

Soon, a teeny smile was in place, softening his features. He wasn't going to let someone like Sasuke ruin things, nor was he going to let strange thoughts ruin it, either. He drinks more of his juice, finishing the yellow-orange liquid off.

But then his face falls. "Fuck, I have homework I've been procrastinating!"

o0o0o0o0o

Somewhere in Konoha about the same time, Gaara sneezes while he was on the phone with Kankurou. He sniffs, rubbing his nose lightly.

"Whoa, Gaara, that sounded pretty violent. You're not getting sick, are ya?" his brother asks, a hint of concern hidden in his voice.

"No, I'm fine."

"Heh, then maybe some hot girl is talking about you," Kankurou says suggestively.

"I highly doubt that."

"Anyhow, I really didn't call to waste your time talking about my college problems. Really, what I called to ask was about your employment situation."

"Funny you should say that," the younger sibling replies, though there is no humor in his tone. What he really meant was the coincidence of the topic. "Temari was asking the same thing in an e-mail to me earlier today. I found it when I came home from school."

Kankurou pauses in place of a shrug. "Older siblings think alike, I suppose," he says with a short chuckle. "But seriously, I want to know what going on with that. I have to make sure you're taken care of, Gaara. If I have to, I'll come home and wait to go back until –"

"That won't be necessary," Gaara informs, cutting the brunette off. "I have found a job in town and will be interviewed on Wednesday for it."

"Really? The day after tomorrow? That's soon; good for you. I bet you'll get it, too. You're a smart kid, Gaara. But where's it at?"

"Don't make fun, but it's at Kohl's. If I get employed I will be working in back with storage." The poet says casually, his tone ever flat and emotionless. It seemed, as of late, the only time he showed emotions were with Naruto since he brought out the best in him, or seldom with Temari since she was waiting on those snippets of openness.

On the other end of the line, Gaara pictures a frown crossing his brother's face. And when he hears the static in the receiver, he pictures Kankurou's eyes widening as he blew surprised air out his mouth and tried not to laugh, though would be smiling. This was the sort of reaction he's seen the older boy make plenty of times in the past on similar occasions. "Well that's certainly one of the last places I'd see you going for, bro. But I know how scarce jobs can be, so it makes sense. You have to settle for something strange. For example: at once point, I worked at Denny's as a fry cook. Remember? I'd come home smelling like used grease."

Vaguely Gaara's lips twitched on his right side, a temporary smile gracing his features. "Yes, I remember. Temari would joke that you'd be the next thing they cooked, meaning you would be fired."

Kankurou laughed. "Yes! Exactly! And I was, too. I was a horrible chef," he says loosely. "Hmm… You're pretty good in the kitchen… You should've tried out for a restaurant or something. You have no professional schooling in the culinary arts, but hey, if Applebee's saw how you prepare food, I bet they'd let you in 'round back."

Gaara shrugs, though his sibling couldn't see it. There was a moment of silence, and the redhead sensed that his brother was getting antsy in the awkwardness. So, he opens his mouth and says, "You left all your dolls here."

Kankurou immediately makes a sputtering noise, like milk spurting out between buzzing lips. "Th-they're not dolls, they're action figures! And h-hey, do you want me to be made fun of? I had to leave 'em home," he says.

Gaara cracks another faint smile, his head shaking in the smallest motion. "Whatever you say, Kankurou. I have to go now. Goodbye."

"Oh, uh, goodbye then, Gaara. Take care."

Somehow, he felt compelled to say one last thing prior to hanging up. "You too."

o0o0o0o0o

Kyuubi's oddly sunny disposition broke the tension in the household, the business man waltzing in whistling after his day at work. "So I hear a certain someone is going to start bringing home the bacon," he grins, his too-long canine teeth peaking out between parted lips. His burning orange-red hair gets tossed back with a hand to form spikes. "Kukuku, maybe I should start demanding rent from you." He chortles the way he does, mocking and playful. "Nah, I'm only kidding, Sasuke. I know you just want to be out of this hell hole, so you can keep your earnings. It's not like you're a mooch or anything; you're like one of the pack."

_Why can't he simply say, 'like family'?_ Naruto thinks with a roll of his cerulean orbs.

"You start tomorrow, right?" Kyuubi intrudes as he sets down his briefcase and washed his hands.

"Hn."

"Great! I wish Naruto would get a job. That kid is so lazy…"

"I heard that! And I am not!" he snaps at his uncle.

The middle-aged man smiles, pushing up his sleeves as he cut open a package of steaks. "I'm grilling tonight, hope you guys are in the mood," he tells the two teens, changing topics.

"Yeah, sure," Sasuke says nonchalantly. He wasn't in a good mood; first he tries to go out somewhere with Naruto before Kyuubi came home, next he's barking at his friend and not saying much of anything. It pissed him off; wasn't his plan to be with the blonde so much that he had no time to think about the redhead? And yet he was probably helping the unwanted outcome along. No, the Uchiha boy was not pleased with himself whatsoever.

"Mm, steak sounds good, Dad," Naruto drools. "Do we have any of that spicy ginger teriyaki sauce to put on it? And oh! What kind of steak?"

"I got the cream of the crop, kit," he says cheerfully. "Fillet mignon."

His eyes light up at the French name. "No way!"

"Yes way."

"Sweet!" Naruto cheers, pumping a fist in the air.

Kyuubi nods his head at Sasuke, coming closer to Naruto, steaks on a tray in one hand. "Is he okay? I thought he liked steak. I'm making potatoes, too…"

Naruto winced. "Er, well, he and I kind of had another spat today, and he gets grumpy afterwards. He'll bounce back; he's Sasuke, after all. King of Stuffing Everything Down and Moving On."

His uncle gives a half-nod. "Ain't that the truth?"

It was; Sasuke may not forgive and forget, and he may not be the best at having everything pass through him with affect, but he was good at suppressing things and stowing them away, consistent in pushing forward. The raven-haired teen was constantly making an effort in doing something else. For instance: when his parents were found dead, he mourned for a short time and then shut it under lock and key in the recesses of his mind. His way of moving forward was to make goals, and after his parent's death apparently that goal was to join the ANBU. Not the most astute choice in goals, but at least he was doing **something**.

o0o0o0o0o

Wednesday rolled around, and Sasuke seemed to be in better spirits. Naruto, too; in Chemistry on Tuesday he had the chance to move his seat permanently beside Gaara, and a seemingly shocked Kakashi had allowed it. In truth, however, the silver-haired 29-year-old teacher was not as surprised, since Iruka had told him all about what Naruto had confessed in Technology class to said scar-faced man. Kakashi was glad that their plan had worked to match the two boys up; they truly were friend material, and apparently the one thing it took to bring them together was a couple of unnamed e-mail addresses.

Tsunade, the principal, and Shizune, the assistant principal, had been especially pleased. Although Naruto wasn't aware of it, Tsunade and his old health teacher Jiraiya were old friends of Kyuubi's and his father's, nearly like grandparents (even if the two did not at all look their age. Tsunade was at least sixty, but looked half as much. How the woman kept it up, it was a mystery. Jiraiya, her secret boyfriend, was the same age, but appeared about in his late 40's, just barely skimming 50.). So when Tsunade heard of the spat the two had in front of Jiraiya's classroom one day that he had to break apart, she knew that she had to help the two mend such a thing. Shizune's job was pretty much digging up the history of all the students, being a silent file keeper. She was a sympathizing woman who cared a lot about the teenaged souls around her, and upon hearing her boss's plan, she agreed whole-heartedly. Certain backgrounds, Shizune found, were similar. So the five, with the help of the school board, made the Faceless-and-Nameless program for the entire student body. Without realizing it, they needed help from and with one another, one of those many pairs being the redhead and blonde in particular.

Little did the teachers know, their match up worked better than somewhere like E-Harmony. Albeit unknown to the two teens, something was brewing, and it was up to Naruto to get determined and define what that 'something' was.

By the time Wednesday's school hours came to a close, Gaara found himself driving to Kohl's for his job interview. Not that his employment there was so important that they needed to inspect what sort of person he was. It was merely company policy, since a majority of their faculty would have to work with or be by people.

30 minutes later he found himself wearing a vest and being showed around by an experienced employee. "Again, sorry you have to start working here right off the bat, but we need the help in back. Here, lemme show you how to operate the box lift cart, and the proper way to cut tape with an exacto-knife, and blah blah blah…" the man rambled. Gaara was clever enough to know how to do most of these things without being told, yet he continued to listen and store the information for later.

The poet discovered that his pay was a tad low compared to the people who worked up front with the customers. He didn't mind, seeing as how the money was good enough for his needs. He also discovered that he needed to work on Wednesdays through Mondays, each day from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm. during the week and on weekends he needed to come in from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00, which was short and attainable. It was a rather good gig, and Gaara calculated to make plenty of money if he didn't miss too many days of work.

Perfect.

That is, until he stumbled across one of the other recently acquired member of the Kohl's staff, a raven-haired boy with all-seeing eyes and cruel features, a relation to the Uchiha clan and jealous best friend of Naruto Uzumaki: Sasuke.

The second their eyes met, Sasuke's expression became a raw scowl, the perfect example of hatred. Gaara didn't like that look, and without delay gave a similar expression in return. He did not like Sasuke; and not because he was a scrap of metal or piece of magnet that was an obstacle, but because he plainly sensed the negative aura about he teen and predicted he would be perfect mafia material like his older brother and cousin, Madara (who everyone in the Akatsuki knew as 'Tobi').

"You didn't tell me that _he _worked here," Sasuke glowered as he continued to lock gazes with Gaara, despite the fact that he was speaking to the employee further up the ladder than themselves.

"Oh, you two know each other?" the man asks nervously, his yes shifting between the two as he sensed uncomfortable hate-filled sparks.

"We're schoolmates," Gaara states monotonously, his eye contact not breaking. When it came to staring/glaring contests, the redhead could win by a long shot. Chiefly if it was one of the glaring kind.

"Er, but obviously not friends," the man winces. "No matter. It's not like you have much to do together, anyhow; you'll be on separate ends of the store. Now, uh, if you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to…" and he walks away, leaving Sasuke and Gaara to sort out their issues and get to work.

"Let's get this straight, shall we?" Sasuke says lowly, staring down cold and hard at the redhead. "We have one person in common, a bright-eyed friend with scars on his face. You probably know what my inner feelings are for him, but I can't say the same for you. And his feelings for me aren't anywhere near what I hold for him, which puts me at a disadvantage. But I'm not the type to give up."

"What are you implying, Uchiha? Are you saying that I'll steal his heart from you?" Gaara scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly the way he does. His tone was still flat, but his eyes and brow muscles did all the talking for his emotions. "Hardly. I don't think he feels any sort of soft spot for me in the fashion that you're thinking, and I certainly am not about to crush on him as you unmistakably do. Your fears are all in your head."

Partial lies are what Gaara is best at, namely when he decides to speak more than a word or two. The viper-like way he spit words back at Sasuke surprised him a bit, and made him all the more angry. "Naruto doesn't deserve a wreck like you," Sasuke growls, detest and disgust emitting from his body.

"Nor does he deserve a cruel, vengeful person like yourself," the redhead retorts, the sentiment for the other being mutual.

Sasuke turns about face, walking away. He couldn't stand the sight of that guy any longer; he made his blood boil. Unlike the type of hate Naruto first held for Gaara, this was different. Sasuke's hate was out of jealousy and rage and pure dislike of everything about Gaara, since he couldn't relate to the redhead at all or understand what Naruto saw in him. To the Uchiha, Gaara was just as cold-hearted as everyone said he is, and it seemed downright impossible for the highly-spoke-of Resshin to be this… this… _monster._

However, Sasuke was being thought of in the exact same manner by the other. The poet couldn't see why Naruto was friends with such a bastard, or why he tolerated being around someone he couldn't return feelings for. Gaara didn't hate Sasuke as much as Sasuke hated him, since he had no motive of envy or emotion enough to feel such a passionate hatred. Still, the disgust and dislike was there, the first time besides his uncle or father that Gaara actually wished ill on someone. In truth, he wished the raven-haired teen had never fled from the Sound, or even that he'd never met Naruto. Perhaps things would be easier if this were so.

_That boy will grow into one hell of a monster when he's older,_ the redhead thinks as he too walks in the opposing direction. His body was getting ready to get back to work and earn his pay, albeit his mind was far from the task at hand.

Sasuke, a new enemy and obstacle, was at Gaara's workplace.

Gaara, a forever enemy and new obstacle, was at Sasuke's workplace.

Oh, how the fur will fly.

And poor Naruto will be caught in the middle of the brawl.

* * *

**A/N: that was a quick update, ne?**

**and yeah, no real fluff here except that Naruto is now sitting right beside Gaara all the time in chemistry class. oh, the fun i will have with that... -smirks-**

**and huhu, one of those major events i mentioned in 'Spontaneous Combustion' is coming up in the next chapter, along with a few other things. so hang in there, everybody!**

**_EDIT:_ **

**okay, it's official.  
this is my most popular story.  
it doesn't have the most hits or C2s yet, but it has the most favs (currently 29), most alerts (a whopping 32), and the review count is more than my highest-reviewed story, Bittersweet Strawberry Blood (which has 122 and should really be updated/finished off).  
****I. AM. AMAZED.  
thank you all so fecking muchhh! i could kiss you! but i won't because that's kinda lesbian since mostly girls like yaoi and read this. NOT TO SAY THERE AREN'T GUYS OUT THERE WHO LIEK THIS STORY... 'cause i know there are... i'll kiss those readers, then, haha. (cough,i'magirlandstraightsoyeah,coughcough)**


	20. Chapter 19: Pills and Kills

**A/N: eh heh, sorry for the delay, you guys!! really, i'm sorry. i just got wrapped up in swimming in my pool and watching Kung-Fu Panda with my friends and Monty Python and the Holy Grail with my siblings and my sister's birthday (which is today) and... yeah. -eats ramen-**

**Sasuke goes crazy, one of the first major events occur at the end, and all around good fun! enjoy, and leave your thoughts because i'm offering you all CULVER'S ICE CREAM CAKE! whee!**

* * *

Chapter 19: Pills and Kills

As soon as Sasuke came home on Wednesday, Naruto was thrown into a wide-eyed 'wh-wh-WHAT?!' state. As soon as he was fit to form complete sentences, he asks: "G-Gaara works where you do?!" to verify the fact.

"Unfortunately, _yes_." Sasuke grumbles in reply, his tone sounding like he was ready to punch someone's lights out. Instead his hands, fisted up tightly, were buried in the pockets of his zip-up sweatshirt. It was one of his favorites, too; designs of some slasher film displayed across the back with a small logo of said movie on his left breast.

"Whoa," is the sole thing Naruto can say in reply. His tan hand gets run through golden locks as air is blown out his mouth. "Heh… that's a real kicker."

"I'd rather he kick the bucket," Sasuke mutters darkly under his breath. He didn't truly mean it; he was merely sore about the situation. Though he was somewhat comforted by Gaara's words of not holding feelings for _his_ blonde (yes, Sasuke is referring to Naruto as 'his'), he had a sinking feeling that the redhead may be pulling a lie.

"Huh? You say something, Sasuke?"

"Nope, not a thing."

Because he can't have the Uzumaki boy knowing his desirous intentions, now, can he?

o0o0o0o0o

Homeroom, art with Miss Kurenai, Technology with Iruka, 4th period History with Asuma, lunch… they all flew by at mach 5 speeds until Naruto – feeling tingly for reasons he couldn't explain – was landed in the seat beside Gaara in 6th period Chemistry. It went form his least favorite class to his favorite, and even though Mr. Umino had always been one of Naruto top favorite teachers of all time, Kakashi now had been placed at a higher rank in the blonde's list than before. And it was all because he allowed Naruto to sit next to his new friend for the rest of the semester, and if they worked well together, for the rest of the year.

He couldn't help but grin, his eyes only seeing Resshin and forgetting any grudges once held for Gaara, whom Resshin was in body. He flashed a smile at the other, never ceasing to enjoy the hint of confusion in the other's irises. Gaara seemed to not be used to Naruto acting so friendly, or any person acting friendly towards him for that matter.

"Oi, what's up, Gaara?" the blonde greeted. Black-ringed panda eyes shift their gaze to him, and his smile softens. "Get that homework done? 'Cause I kinda procrastinated on it, so who knows if it's legible or correct…"

"It's your folly for putting it off like that." Gaara reprimands, his head shaking in the smallest manner, barely noticeable. His gaze drops, something that has become routine for when he was around Naruto. "And I always get my homework done. I'm college-bound, remember?" he tells him, his voice masked in that sweetly level tone Naruto has come to like ever since he first heard it (and really took it in) over the phone.

_Who says 'folly' anymore?_ Naruto nearly laughs, but bites the side of his tongue to stop himself. He shrugs and takes his seat, though you couldn't call his posture appropriate for class; his chair was pulled out far away from the table by a good foot and a half, his legs spread wide, his upper back leaning on the chair while his butt nearly slid off the bottom, and his arms were resting on the tabletop behind him. He had tossed his books to the floor between himself and Gaara, and the redhead looked down as he heard the plopping noise of said hardcover items.

"You have no sense of etiquette." The poet points out after this demonstration.

Naruto sits up, his legs coming together more and his spine aligning with the chair back. He was chuckling throughout the entire movement. "Yeah, I guess I don't. But I can't help it, you know? It's how I am."

Gaara was tempted to roll his eyes, yet he stopped himself; because soon the blonde was scooting closer to the table as Kakashi came strolling into the classroom, late yet again. The redhead eyed Naruto from his peripheral vision, noticing with a nervous gulp that the blonde was unknowingly coming a bit too close on his right. Naruto was inching his chair up to the table but to his left, which drew him closer to Gaara, an action the earthquake wasn't sure was intentional to be flirty again or plain coincidence.

He got the answer to which was meant as Naruto's head jerks upwards, surprise in his eyes as his pupils contract. He had been looking down and tugging his chair closer to the table, but now that he paused to see where he had been headed, pink rose to his face. At this very moment, Naruto discovered that the tip of his nose was not but six or seven short inches from Gaara's cheek as the redhead stared, dumbfounded, out of the corner of his eye.

Obviously, he hadn't know where he was scooting, and when he stopped he was left much too near his tablemate. "Oops…" he apologizes shyly, leaning back and adjusting his chair to create a bigger distance between them. He knew Gaara was not one for physical contact or having his personal space bubble invaded, as hard as Naruto tried to ease into said space. This time around, however, it had been accidental, and the blonde both liked and didn't like being suddenly so close to the other teen. At least now he was back where he should be.

The moment was broken as Kakashi began to speak. Naruto and Gaara both shattered out of their haze and turned their ears and attention to their sensei.

Albeit the fronts of their minds were focused, the gears in the flipside of their minds were turning while the silver-haired man spoke, the ideas dull like echoing afterthoughts. Naruto's were like this: _Whoa, that was weird… if I had scooted any closer or leaned in any more, I probably would have accidentally… er, _kissed _him. But only on the cheek. But that's still a kiss… Yikes. I have to be more careful._

Whereas Gaara's were this: _What did he think he was doing? If I didn't know any better, I would've thought he was about to… No, he would have never been able to. Even if he had been about to kiss my cheek, I would not have allowed him to. Plus, he wouldn't so such a thing right in the middle of class where everyone could see. He doesn't work so fast, anyhow. At least, Shippuuden – Naruto – doesn't seem the type to 'make a move' (as Kankurou would say) so soon. No, he would wait until I showed some notion that I wouldn't mind. Like that'll ever happen… er, right?_

Gaara's thoughts were more elaborate due to his ever-thinking mind, but Naruto's seemed too much in shock at the short distance to function properly, so in a matter of speaking, it was balanced.

As Chemistry class came to a close, Naruto burst out: "I'm going to call you later, okay?"

The redhead peers over at the blonde, an unreadable expression Naruto hadn't seen before plastered on his pale face. "If you must."

He Uzumaki boy rubs the underside of his nose with one finger and beams at the other. He notices the time and decidedly stuffs his books into his bag, frowning in the smallest way at a sheet of homework paper. Then the bell was ringing, inwardly startling Gaara out of his miniature stupor. The blonde skittered out the classroom, one of the first to leave. Slowly Gaara stands, gathering his things while thoughts crossed his psyche.

Naruto was going to call him? Even if it won't be the same now that they both know who the other is? Silently Gaara wondered what they'd talk about now. Then again, there were plenty of subjects left untouched by the two… another phone call would simply be a means of getting to know one another more in a different way than they could when they had to keep their identities secret.

"Ah, but…" Gaara mutters in a flat voice, shaking his head. _I forgot; I have to work at that hateful place with the Uchiha after school hours._ A rare scowl covered his face then, making a few juniors in the hallway scatter from his path. What awaited him today he knew would be no good, but the poet was mentally strong and could handle anything the Uchiha dished out.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto stared down at his cell phone, flipping it open and closed with his thumb, feeling the sleek plastic in his sweating fingers. The metallic orange casing on said device flashed to silver and back as he watched the top flip. He was practically mesmerized by it, and the blue glow from the numbers, the green of the 'call' button and the red of the 'end' button winking briefly before being enclosed in the orange top once more.

He called Gaara's house. Thrice. And there was no answer.

Was he avoiding him again?

No, he has no reason to. So why…

Oh, wait! Sasuke had work today, and he said Gaara worked at the same place he did. Which means his earthquake must be at his job, that's all.

"Phew! Almost panicked for a minute there…" Naruto thought aloud embarrassedly. He scratched the back of his head and tossed his phone onto his bed, without delay plopping down next to it. He closed his eyes. "Well, I pretty much got all my homework done in study hall, so I can afford to take a nap. Hmm, you know, maybe one of these days I should go visit Sasuke and Gaara at Kohl's. Heh, that'll be interesting!" he chuckles to himself ahead of a yawn. Then he was falling hazily into a light sleep.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara sighed to himself irritably through his nose, a dim sense of frustration churning in his stomach. Who would've thought moving a bunch of boxes around the storage room would be so arduous? In actuality, there is much more to it than moving boxes. Working in the storage room means checking off the shipments that come in from the trucks, tallying this and that, lifting things onto the proper shelves, taking things down, running out to restock some item or another, and price tagging the restock items. It was insane. And Gaara was stuck as the hub of it.

It was especially challenging since he was a new employee, needing to get into the habit of things and to develop a sense of order. How wearisome.

"Here, Sabaku, why don't you take a break? I know from your resume that you have medication to take. And you're sweating a bit; maybe a good splash of water will cool you off," his manager tells him kindly as he comes strolling into the storage room. He was a very understanding person, which was a huge help.

With a 'very much obliged' type of nod, the redhead wipes his brow with his forearm and stalks off to the restrooms. His pill bottle generates a noise similar to a maraca in his pant pocket, which – now that he was out of the noisy stockroom – could be heard as he walks the aisles of the store. _Next time, I'm bringing my MP3 player. I can't stand all this senseless noise and too-quiet situations. I like my quiet, but not like this. Even this quiet has noise. Plus, the radio is always playing music I do not care for._ Gaara thinks grumpily as he pushes open the men's room door.

He heads first for the line of sinks, inwardly grimacing at his reflection before bending down to cup his hands under the automatic faucet. Icy water that smelled vaguely like boiled eggs came shooting out into seven streams, forming small bubbles as it loaded pale hands with liquid.

Leaning in a way that allows his bangs to hang off his face, Gaara slips his water-filled hands up to his face and rinses the sweat, heat, stress, and emotion away. Instantly his features deadpan save for his parted lips. He tastes a bit of salt in the water due to the mixing of his body oils with the sink water. The cold was bracing but soothing, and after a moment the redhead walks over to the paper towel dispenser and dabs his skin dry. Without missing a beat he tosses the brown paper away and turns to face the mirror once more, slipping his container of Wellbutrin from his pocket. The pills that spilled forth were a purple-pink, though for a while they were a different color when he got them from an alternate doctor. On the pill it read 'WELLBUTRIN' across the top and '15 0' across the bottom. He heard the door swing open behind him, but ignores it. He downs his dosage and cups some water in his hands to wash it down with.

"What, so you're a druggie, too? Tch, figures." Says a voice behind him.

Gaara looks up in the mirror to see black hair and narrowed dark eyes in the reflection of the bathroom stalls behind him. He whirls around and bares his teeth, clenching them as he spoke tightly: "For your information, I am not addicted to drugs, Uchiha. I am prescribed to them and would rather not take them if given the choice, but my older sister insists 'for my own wellbeing'."

Sasuke is nearly taken aback by such a fierce reply, even if his voice had sounded calm. Regaining his composure, he retorts: "Oh, so you're the type who denies being a druggie. You make up excuses. Is that what you were doing to Naruto? Making up excuses, saying you didn't mean to ditch him on Friday? He was pretty depressed, you know. And I can't forgive you for that."

"I am no druggie. And I do_ not_ make up excuses. And how dare you bring Naruto into this! I should slug you for falsely accusing me." Gaara snaps, though his tone magically stays level, as do his features. The only hint to showing that he means business is the gritting teeth behind his lips and fire raging behind his eyes.

Sasuke, however, doesn't bother to hold back. His voice rises and he puts up a finger, pointing harshly without touching. "Then why don't you, huh?! I can take you on anytime, Red!"

"Don't be foolish," Gaara mutters as he pushes passed the raven-haired boy. He yanks open the bathroom door and leaves the other teen standing on the tiled flooring, a steady seethe emitting from his core.

They wouldn't fight now. No, not yet. It's temporary, but for a while there shall be physical peace, in spite of the vicious words and feelings between the two. Neither was sure if the rivalry came from only their common feelings for a certain blonde, or if it was something else entirely. Either way, this is not going to end benevolently.

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke came home in a huff, his arms shoved in his pockets. He made a furious roar, causing Naruto up in his room to squirm out of his doze and fall out his bed.

Gaara went home in a similar manner, only his arms were crossed over his chest and he made not a sound.

Sasuke said not a word to Naruto and went straight for the basement to light something on fire. He was a bit of a pyro, not liking to smoke but liking to mess around with lighters and firecrackers.

Gaara, on the other hand, said at least a bit to Naruto, seeing as how he was called about an hour after coming home to his empty house. "Hi Gaara! What's going on with you?"

"Nothing," the redhead replies, sitting down in an armchair. "I got home from work an hour ago."

"Really? I thought you and Sasuke had the same hours. Guess you get off earlier than he does. So you must've gotten home at 8:00-ish, right?"

"Right," Gaara says curtly between a pinch of the bridge of his nose. Work had been tiring, and when he himself found out the other day that Sasuke left a full hour after he did, he was relieved.

"Hey, you know, you sound kind of tired. Did something happen, or did you just not sleep enough last night?" Naruto asks him.

"I never sleep very much, remember? But that's not it… your friend, the Uchiha, he does not like me whatsoever. He was very unpleasant today, but it was nothing I couldn't take. I just wish he'd leave me be."

The blonde nods his head as he reclines back into his desk chair, swiveling in it for a minute. "Yeah, he never really lets up. The guy's an ass."

Gaara cracks a teeny provisional smile at the remark. It fades and he asks into the mouthpiece of his phone: "Then why are you two friends?"

On the other end of the line, Naruto blinks a few times. The manner in which the question was asked… knowing Gaara – knowing_ Resshin_ – it held a sort of curious, not understanding (if not a tad jealous) tinge to it. The blonde's eyes smile. He nearly laughs due to the strangeness of the question. "I don't know why, actually. I guess… we've known each other since we were kids and have always – in a twisted sort of way – been there for each other. So we stayed friends, you know? With no reasons why."

"But… isn't the Uchiha… in love with you?" Gaara ventures, his voice lowering to practically a whisper.

"Er…" Naruto hesitates, a small flush coating his cheeks. "Who told you that?"

"It's common knowledge, Naruto." _High school knows no bounds in the rumor weed,_ Gaara adds mentally. Which is quite true; when anything happens in a high school, it's passed down through the grape vine, though along the way it may get contorted into a sick rumor. Though this is no lie.

Naruto hung his head and made a funny smile. "True." He coughs into his hand. "Well… uh… he does – is – or whatever… but, uh, I'm still his friend anyway, even if the feelings aren't returned. It's not right to end a relationship with someone just because they like you and you don't like them the same way."

The poet froze at these words, his brain coming to a halt and his fingers on the device at his ear stiffening. As his brain started processing again, thoughts (mainly questions directed at Naruto) filled the blank space. _Truly? So if… if your feelings for me are not returned, you wouldn't like it if I stopped being your friend? Or if it was reversed, and you did not return my feelings, you wouldn't stop being my friend? Is that why you nearly purposely sent that draft letter? Were you testing my beliefs, seeing if they matched your own? You had wondered if you 'kinda-sorta liking' me would ruin my reputation or if I had a certain sexual orientation. Maybe, by all of that, you were asking if it would ruin our relationship. And no, I don't think it would. That's good to know._

Finally relaxed in his mind, Gaara loosened and makes a short reply. "I see."

There is a pause as Naruto thinks of all the things that simple 'I see' can mean. He wound up with nothing decisive. For a second he cursed Gaara's method of speaking; it left too many possibilities for his true meaning since he spoke so nonchalantly a majority of the time.

The pause didn't last too long, however; in next to no time, the blonde was on the ramble and touched all sorts of topics. Gaara stayed relatively quiet, even quieter than usual. Naruto took it as a sign that he was deep in thought (no surprise there; Gaara is always deep in thought) and continued to chat to his e-pal. He wasted a good hour on this, perhaps a bit more than that. Then, with a soft click of the phone and a broad smile on Naruto's part, the two hung up.

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke woke the next morning with a vengeance. A determined state of mind that told him things weren't going as planned, but will soon. Very soon.

Because Sasuke was going to get into that mafia if it killed him, and the first thing he was going to do when he got in was find out what bastard killed his parents and give them what they deserve. Then, maybe, if he made up the right story… he could get the ANBU to do something about Gaara. He saw Naruto first, he kissed him first, and he'd be damned if he let someone else get in the way. Extreme? Perhaps. But Sasuke lived on the brink of extreme every day; why should this be any different? They say that all's fair in love and war, but what if love is the war? There are songs – one in specific – that mentions how 'love is a battlefield'. Not that Sasuke took music to heart (okay, so, maybe he did _a little_), but it was common knowledge: you have to fight for what you love.

And that gave the Uchiha an idea.

Gaara may have won last time by walking off and keeping his cool, but next time… next time, Sasuke was going to punch him out. That's a real win.

The raven-haired teen noticed that he should be getting ready for school now, and should probably get Naruto up, too. So, rolling his eyes and smirking slightly at the figure laying in bed with sheets wrapped up around his legs and a pillow between his arms and not under his head, Sasuke placed a song at high volume on Naruto's stereo and played it with his ears plugged.

He chuckled as the blonde's eyes flew open and he screamed, rolling over to fall out of his bed. "Wh-wh-what the f-fuck, Sasuke?!"

The Uchiha pressed 'pause' and smirked. He shrugs his shoulder. "Hn, it was the only way to get you awake," he grunts. "Now go eat something. I'm driving again."

"For yourself, you mean; I'm riding my bike to school today. I'm not letting you lock me up in a car again," Naruto mutters.

Sasuke's face fell. Naruto didn't want to ride with him? Great, yet another thing dragging him down in his quest to win the blonde over. He scowls. "You have no choice, Naruto; your bike's tires popped after your little coffee date with Gaara, remember?"

Naruto winces for two reasons: one, because Sasuke was right (he had busted a tire coming home that day and neglected to fix it). Two, because he didn't like the tone his best friend used on the words 'coffee date' and 'Gaara'. "Fine, I'll take the ride. I'll be ready in twenty minutes flat."

"You better be."

And with that Sasuke left, leaving Naruto to do his business.

o0o0o0o0o

_/Gaara, I need you to call me when you get home from work. There's something I need to tell you, and I can't do it through text. It won't effect you much, but you need to know. – Temari/_

The text message puzzled Gaara, and he puckered his nonexistent brows at it. What could Temari possibly have to tell him? He shrugged with the smallest of movements and bit down into his sub sandwich he picked up from Subway for a late lunch. He had skipped yet another meal at school and was currently eating it while he worked in the storage room at Kohl's. He was careful not to get any of his food on the merchandise, although he was naturally a clean eater and would've have spoiled the products anyway. Licking the tips of his fingers and brushing them on a napkin, the redhead lifted a box and stacked it above his head on a shelf. He then picked up another box, striped it of it's tape, and pulled out plastic-wrapped bags that contained something like underwear. Little girl undies, it looked like, and he rolled his teal eyes at the rubber ducky print on pink elastic.

He collected a few and headed for the proper department of the store for said undergarments, knowing from the list his boss gave him not thirty minutes ago that it needed to be restocked. Idly, he lifted a piece of Orbit chewing gum to his lips and took it in to chew the taste of sandwich from his mouth.

On the way, however, he hadn't seen Sasuke bustling by, and they rammed shoulders. "Watch where you're going, Red!"

Gaara grit his teeth on the cinnamint-flavored rubber and glared without a word. Though his glare clearing said, 'I did nothing wrong. You watch where_ you're_ going'.

Sasuke scowled and clicked his tongue. "I'm sick of you. You should quit this job and get another one far away from me."

"No, I think you should quit. I need the money."

"I do, too. Unless you never want me to move out of your boyfriend's house," the Uchiha hissed.

"We're not dating," was his first short reply, although Sasuke's words suddenly struck Gaara with revolting realization. "You're… living with him?"

Sasuke smirks and makes that curt rumble in his throat he does when he's satisfied with something. In this case, Gaara's question; it was an obvious reaction of shock. "That's right. Don't tell anyone, but after I ran from the Sound, the first place I went was Naruto's house. He of 'course welcomed me with open arms, since I'm a lifelong friend of his and all," he gloats, reveling in the emotions he caught passing through Gaara's cool-colored eyes. Jealousy, wonder, anger, and just about every other bitter feeling. He crosses his arms. "What's the matter? You don't like that I sleep thirty feet from his bedroom? Or can see him every day and every night when you can't?"

"No, that's not it," Gaara mutters in reply, a strange sensation raging through him. The other teen was making an effort to get under his skin, be he wasn't about to allow that. "I don't care."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "Oh? I think you do," he taunts, taking a step closer to pick up one of the packages of underwear Gaara had dropped when they had collided. He places it on the top of the pile in Gaara's arms, a smirk on his face. "I have to get back to work, and so do you. Ja ne."

"Tch," was the response, and Sasuke walked away. Victory for him, and without a punch, too.

That is, until the sound of plastic-covered fabric and cardboard crashing to the floor reached his ears.

Gaara has never lost his cool before. Maybe it was Naruto leaving his impression on him, maybe it was just the overpowering sense of dislike and disgust with Sasuke, maybe it was even the raven-haired boy's words, but whatever it was, it drove Gaara over the edge.

Sooner than Sasuke could put up a block or a fist, Gaara's arm was cocking and clutching the air. **Thwack** was the resounding noise as knuckles connected with jaw, followed by a **crunch** as he dislocated it.

Sasuke whimpered, an unfitting sound for the type of dark person he was, and the redhead found himself panting. Why was he panting? 'Adrenaline rush' popped into his head, as if it explained everything. And perhaps it did; after all, it was a new sensation for Gaara and took him over quite easily.

Sasuke stumbled back and held his jaw, wincing as he snapped it back into place and painfully stretched his jaw to check if it still worked. He wiped drool and blood form his mouth, having cut his cheek with his own teeth on impact. A scowl was firmly set in place, and he barked, "Let's see you try that again!" as he stood and prepared himself to charge, fists at the ready.

"Let's NOT," interrupts their manager, who had heard from a scared witnessing customer about the fight. "You two are fired! I will not stand roughhousing in my store! Get out!"

Not working a week in the place, Gaara cleaned his face of emotion and strut out, his arms across his chest and his pace quick. Sasuke, on the other hand, had been working at least a week and now would only get one measly paycheck from this hellhole.

_Gaara ruins everything,_ the Uchiha thought bitterly. _And I'm going to make him pay for it._

o0o0o0o0o

"Hey, Sasuke-teme, why are you home so early?" Naruto asked casually as he pressed buttons rapidly on his PS2's controller. "Ex, triangle, square, square, triangle, circle…" he murmured mindlessly as he waited for Sasuke's answer and tried to type in the cheat code.

"I got sacked," he retorted, using Kyuubi's term for being fired.

The start button was hit and Naruto whirled around, staring dumbly at the other. "What?!"

"That dumbass, Gaara, got me fired. I said some things and he whacked me; nearly broke my jaw. He has a real hard right hook, I'll give him that."

The blonde continued to stare; only now his eyebrows were rising and he started to laugh. "Nice!"

"Don't laugh, dobe, or I swear I'll kill you," Sauske threatens.

Naruto just keeps laughing. "Oh man, I have to call him up later and ask what happened. Normally the guy's totally impassive and will walk away from stuff, you know? You must have said some pretty nasty shit to get him to hit you!"

"Humph. I'm getting a bottle of water." And he left.

The Uzumaki boy chuckled once more before returning to his game; another method of procrastination. He really didn't want to write that essay be got assigned today in Mr. Sarutobi's history class.

Meanwhile, across Konoha, Gaara was peering down at the phone in his hands. He doesn't like calling people, but his sister sounded urgent in that text. So, reluctantly, he dialed her dorm room number. After one ring he remembered her roommate and hung up, deciding to dial her cell phone instead. It rang twice. Then her voice, broken and tired, answered. "Gaara?"

"What's wrong?" he asks, the tiniest spark of concern in his tone. "What did you want to tell me?"

The college girl sucks in a breath. She utters four words that leave Gaara feeling hard inside, his mouth pulling into a tight, straight line.

"Thanks for the information," he says and hangs up.

Minutes later, the phone rings, and the poet is both surprised and not surprised at the number that flashes across his caller ID.

"Naruto?"

"Heya Gaara! I heard you punched Sasuke. Haha, that's freaking awesome. What'd he say to get you so pissed, anyway?" the blonde dobe asks, oblivious to what Temari had told his friend minutes ago.

"That doesn't matter now." Gaara says stiffly. "My sister told me something."

On the reciprocal end of the line, Naruto frowns with curiosity as he chucks a rock into the lake (he didn't want Sasuke to hear him talk about his fight with Gaara. Or hear him talking to Gaara at all. So he had walked down to the lake and sat on the shore). "Eh? What's she tell you?"

"My father died."

The blonde dropped his cell phone, it nearly landing in the water. He scrambled to pick it up again. "Eh?!"


	21. Chapter 20: Seeking What Is Not There

**A/N: i told you i'd update soon! and thanks to Raidon Phantom's puppy-dog eyes, you get an update again today! how awesome is that?**

**holy feck! i broke 5,000 hits and am halfway to 200 reviews! -sniff sniff- :')  
****i dunno how to thank you guys... other than saying a great big: "OMFG THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!" and encouraging you all to keep those stats up! i promise there is lots more action and romance to come, and all of you will simply adore it.**

**by the way, when i mentioned in my opening-chapter AN about the book, Love Letters Perfect Strangers, i want you all to know this is almost nothing like that book. never was. i just liked the enemy-becoming-a-couple-through-emails idea and used that. everything else was my idea. quite the plot, quite the plot... -chuckles-**

**now, enjoy some fluff and a mini/major event or two in the plot! remember, everything i write has a purpose. :3**

* * *

Chapter 20: Seeking What Is Not There

Naruto sat numb upon hearing Gaara's words, his mind flashing with memories of his mother crying when he asked at age 2, 'where's daddy?'. Kushina Uzumaki had been strong and tough and an all-around tomboy, but when it came to his father she had always bawled her eyes out. So now, like Naruto, Gaara had been orphaned. His mother, Naruto knew, was long gone, but suddenly fate claimed his friend's father as well?

The blonde scrambled to right his phone after nearly dropping it into the lake; never mind that grass and a drop of mud clung to the plastic. "Eh?!" he got out finally, 'eh' being the sole noise his vocal cords could make at a time like this.

"I said: 'my father died'. Temari told me previous to your call. He was an alcoholic, as you know, so it was bound to happen sometime." Resshin says lowly and steadily, his voice not wavering once.

"B-but… he's your dad…"

"And a cruel man," the other teen reminds. He bites at his lower lip, chewing without hurting. Somehow, it was had to talk about, even if he strongly disliked his abusive parent.

"Well, yeah, I know by your poem 'Sleepless', but still… Gaara, are you okay? I mean, uh, are you handling this alright?" Naruto sputters softly, concern laced through every word like needlepoint through fabric. In a sense, 'love was in every stitch', though not quite the love you're thinking of.

"I'm fine," the redhead replies with a muffled cough, one he didn't even know he was going to make until his throat tickled and he had to make it.

Naruto's eyes get watery and he blinks. He switches ears on the phone and dusts away some of the blades of grass clinging to it. "You don't sound okay. Want me to come over?"

_Come over?_ Gaara repeats mentally, his eyes going wide for a second. _He wants to come over? The Uchiha would hate that. And I'm not so sure I'd be comfortable with it, either._ "No."

Shippuuden pouts. "Too bad, I am anyway. And I'm bringing you ice cream. You sound like you need to be cheered up."

"Don't, really. I quite frankly feel numb. No sadness, no anger, no relief… simply numb." He doesn't know why he's confessing this, nor does he care. Because, really, it's the truth; his mouth was constantly in that hard, straight line and his heart was a bit slower in pumping, but other than that he felt nothing at all. No unease, no sickness, no grief, not even the burning feeling to cry. His father was dead – has been since 9:47 this morning from liver failure – and he didn't feel a thing. The lack of closeness to his father and antipathy towards the man was probably the reason for such unfeeling.

"I said I am so I am!" the blonde replied stubbornly. "Even if you didn't like you dad, you're still losing a parent and have to make funeral plans and all that jazz, and it's super depressing. Which is why you need friends around. So I'm bringing ice cream to your house and you can't stop me." He grins at the end of this, liking to have an excuse to visit Gaara in his own home. "Er, but first… I kind of need to know here you live."

This abreaction with Naruto was oddly consoling. A trace of a smile ghosted Gaara's eyes. "You're persistent."

"As if you didn't already know that."

A small sigh escapes the redhead. "Fine. You can come. My address is…"

Naruto didn't have anything to write on, so – thinking on his feet – he recorded what Gaara had to say next onto his phone, which allowed him to re-listen to it in case he forgot.

20 minutes later, Naruto was walking, ice creams in hand, to Gaara's house. He refused to drive due to his phobia and knew Sasuke wouldn't take him, and his bike of 'course was mangled, which made walking the lone option unless he wanted to call Sakura (which he didn't because he knew she'd rag on him about this and giggle her pink-mopped head off).

The blonde struck the doorbell with his knuckle and licked at his melting ice cream, pausing mid-lick when Gaara answered the door. "Ta-da!" he presented with a smile, holding up the non-licked vanilla cone. "I didn't know what flavor you'd like, so I just got you vanilla…"

His e-pal takes it wordlessly and steps aside, letting Naruto in. "Did you walk here?"

Naruto nods and laps up more of his cone, specifically a trailing drop that was currently heading for his fingers. "Yup. That's why your cone is a little melty. Sorry 'bout that."

Gaara shrugs and raises the creamy treat to his lips, and the hurricane finds himself pausing to stare as the other teen takes a lick. He frowns at both himself and Gaara, because he realized how cliché and date-like having ice cream with someone is. Not to mention how full of innuendo; not that Naruto was thinking any of that stuff... he wasn't sure he liked Gaara _that way_ yet.

Since his friend was seemingly interested in his melting cone, Naruto took the silent initiative to speak. "So… feeling better? About your dad, I mean." He adds nervously, striding over to the nearest place to sit that he saw. Gaara's house, he noticed, was quite average, and a duplex at that; he had been almost worried when he first saw the building, not sure which half of it belonged to Gaara. But he figured it out from the number at the last second and saved himself the embarrassment of going to a stranger's house with ice cream. Actually, Gaara was sort of a stranger too, but not entirely. The blonde hoped, in the future, that the teen across from him would be the far opposite of 'stranger'.

"With you here, I do feel less…" he had been about to say 'lonely', though realized that could be misinterpreted. "I'm feeling better," he says simply. Gaara takes another lick of his cone, actually glad the blonde thought to bring him one. He missed having ice cream around the house since money was tight. It felt like a luxury to him now.

Naruto perks up. "Good." He says with a grin and a chomp on his ice cream. But he forgot this wasn't soft-serve, which meant… "Ahh! Brain freeze!"

The redhead's lips dare to tug into a vague smile, though they don't. "Only stupid people get brain freeze."

Shippuuden took that as a challenge. "Oh yeah? Let's see you take a bite. I bet you'll get brain freeze!"

Gaara's eyes flash, as if to say, 'we'll see'. He then dives into his ice cream, taking a good sized bite. A shiver discreetly runs down his spine, but nothing else. "See?" he says flatly.

He sees Naruto grumble something from the chair across from him. Suddenly, the blonde looks up. "You never showed me your tattoo, you know. And you promised."

Gaara blinks once. "I did," he mutters. He takes a thoughtful lick at his frozen treat. "Come here, and I'll show you."

Satisfied that it was so easy, Naruto stands and strolls over, watching as Gaara sets down his cone (it was a cake cone, which means it had a flat bottom to stand up on) and stands. When he's a couple feet away, the blonde traces Gaara's movements with his eyes as the poet pulls back his triangular bangs behind his left ear. His movements, as Naruto has noticed before, are graceful in a way to make even a ballet dancer envious. Out of the blue he sees red in calligraphy-like lines, sweeping and stacking without touching over one another. One on top, three below, a long bar, two to one side and one to the other, then a strange boxed-in-with-tails mark at the bottom which grazed Gaara's hairless brow.

Naruto whistled long and low, daring to come forward a step and get a better, squinty-eyed look at the tattoo. "That's the kanji character for love, isn't it?" he asks, reaching up a hand to touch it.

Gaara backs away, leaving Naruto's hand to hover and curl at the fingers prior to falling limp at his side. _He doesn't want me close enough to touch it. Guess he wouldn't… too bad, I've always wondered what a tattoo felt like. Hey, wait a second! Is that a blush on his face?! _

Indeed there was a small pink hue tinting Gaara's features. He didn't know why, but having Naruto that close and nearly touching him made him nervous. Especially when that touch was more or less on his face.

The earthquake sat back down, his head shaking to loosen his bangs and make them settle back into place. He picked up his cone again with light fingers and trailed his tongue around the circumference to stop any dripping. "My turn," he says with a glance at the other. "You never told me what your dreams were about."

Naruto visibly flinched, for some reason not wanting to share that information with Gaara. Not that Gaara would want him to know about his own bird dreams, which apparently had the two of them as… a couple, for lack of better words (since 'lovers' would sound terribly off-base).

"Um… w-why would you want to know, anyhow? Th-they're just… you know… stupid dreams. Hey, I got a better idea: tell me about what happened with Sasuke. He won't tell me, although he admitted he said something to get you pissed. What was it? He can be a real jerk and get under people's skin sometimes, but come on! It has to take a lot to get under the skin of someone like you!" Naruto proposed instead, trying to get the topic of conversation from himself.

"I will… if you tell me your dreams. Before you ask again, it's because I've also had some with birds in it." Gaara debates, putting a resistible offer on the table.

To buy time to decide for such an offer, Naruto stuffs his face with his ice cream, biting into the crunchy cone, his eyes adverted. What a situation he was in now; he tries to do something nice – like cheer someone up who just became an orphan like himself – and yet it leads to uncomfortable things like this. Maybe that was because he was with Gaara and not someone else. Who, by the way, would most likely be crying on him. He thanked Kami that Gaara wasn't crying on him… that'd be both strange (since the redhead appears to have never cried in his life,) and unnerving (because he kinda-a-little-bit likes the other teen).

Rubbing the back of his neck, Naruto slowly nodded. "Alright, you win; I'll tell you part of my dreams. But you can't laugh – wait, you probably won't. No offense, Gaara, but I've never actually heard you laugh!" he pauses, a forced grin on his face. He clears his throat. "So, uh, just don't refuse to talk to me or something. And then you have to tell me about Sasuke and the whole fight, got it?"

The other silently nods, nibbling at the edges of his cone. Gaara was a slow eater, Naruto noticed; if he hadn't dared the other to try the brain freeze thing, he'd probably still be licking away, never finishing his treat until an hour-or-so later.

Blowing air out his mouth, Naruto rakes a hand through his hair and promptly scratches his cheek. Suddenly, the rest of his chocolate-strawberry cone looked sickeningly sweet. He stands and motions to it, asking without words where the garbage was. Gaara points to the far wall of the kitchen behind them. The blonde walks over, dumps the cone, and returns to the living room but doesn't seat himself or look Gaara in the eye. Instead he paces, gaze to the floor, his hands on his hips. More air is blown out his mouth, only frustrated for lack of words this time.

The words coming fast and unexpected, Naruto blurts in one long stream of vocal talents: "Okay, so, it's like this: when I got the first bird dream, it was way back when I knew only your alias and not your real name. In the dream there was this yellow canary-ish bird named Shippuuden who flew around all the hurricanes in the sky, barely ever going to the land. On that land, though, there was this cardinal-like red bird who later Shippuuden called 'Resshin', which liked to fly in the cracks made by earthquakes. But one day something happened to Resshin and he fell from the sky, and the impact hit Shippuuden as well so he fell, and died. But then there was an explosion and he turned into this human guy who looked kind of like me. And then he goes walking around, telling this dead-looking red bird to hurry up and be reborn 'cause they're supposed to be together or something cheesy like that. So he explodes, too, and there's red feather everywhere and I can't see what he looks like, but oddly he had red hair… which, looking back on it, is a lot like yours… but that's all I saw before I woke up."

Merely the first dream told and already Gaara was beginning to shake. They had… the same dream? By the sound of it, it was** exact**. And if that was true.. then maybe all the other's Gaara has had were also seen by Naruto, albeit a bit different since Gaara found out who Naruto was firsthand. He blinks when he feels cold, sticky liquid leak onto his hand. The redhead glances down, suddenly not hungry for his ice cream. He stands, throws it away, and comes back to look at Naruto, who had been watching him as the silence hung between them. "I had that dream, too."

Naruto's head jerks to show his level of stun. "You… did?"

Another nod.

"What about any… others?"

A third nod.

Naruto gulps. "You didn't, uh… get the feeling in those dreams that, uh… the two birds were… in l-love, did y-you?"

Hmm, this was a very awkward moment for the two 17-year-olds. Very awkward indeed.

"I… did," Gaara flushed in reply, turning his head. "But they weren't us."

"N-no! 'course not! I mean… sure, in one dream, Shippuuden touched something on Resshin's forehead that felt like a scar shaped like something like a written symbol, b-but it's not like your tattoo, I'm p-positive. 'Sides, it's all a coincidence that we had those dreams, right? People say dreams have meanings, but I totally think it's random stuff that our brains make up that we hardly remember. …Right?" Naruto said speedily, pacing but staring at Gaara, whom refused to look at him. Naruto felt his cheeks and ears burn, but he ignored it with a cough. "Anyway… now that _that _cat is out of the bag, tell me how you got fired."

He sits down, and instantly the poet feels more secure and also sits. He nods his head once, an action becoming quite common throughout this conversation. Gaara had not at all expected what was said. Two people having the same dreams? Both dreams being symbolic that he and Naruto were… _what?_ ...meant to be together? Absurd! And yet Gaara found himself blushing at the thought of how loving the two representations had acted, which was exactly like (pardon the following pun) two lovebirds.

"Right…" _Nothing can be more embarrassing than this. I suppose I can tell Naruto about why I punched the Uchiha, _Gaara logically thinks to himself. "Well, we accidentally bumped shoulders and that got him started. I gave him a glare and he told me to quit that job and get a new one away from him. I told him no because I needed the money. He said he did, too, unless I wanted him to live at… your house forever," he began, pausing where Sasuke had used the word 'boyfriend'. Talk about your blunt speeches. He was giving only the bare facts, as if he were being questioned by the police. "Then I showed something that made him think I didn't like to hear such a thing, which lead him to taunting me. He tried to make me jealous that he lived with you and I didn't. I don't know, maybe it worked, but something in me snapped and I popped him one in the jaw. He was about to hit me back (tch, as if he could) when the manager interrupted. And we were fired. End of story."

It's rare you hear Gaara say so much in one session, and for a moment Naruto was lost in the other teen's voice rather than hearing what he had to say. Which is an easy feat to do; when Gaara does speak, it's the most addicting sound you'll ever hear, lacking in emotion but making up for it in quality. Naruto bet that besides being a great actor, Gaara could out-sing a professional. Out of nowhere, the urge to hear the redhead sing took over Naruto, and he nearly asked for his friend to do so. He shakes his head instead to rid himself of those thoughts and to get back on track. "Wow. That's quite the story, Gaara. But, hey, how'd you get jealous? Living with me ain't all that great, and teme and I keep our distance half the time."

The redhead folds his arms over his chest, a brow muscle lifting. "'Teme'? Why are you calling him a bastard in Japanese?"

"So you know that one?" Naruto grins. He shrugs, smile still in place. "I mean it in the nice way; like a nickname friends give each other, you know? He calls me 'dobe', which is kind of mean since I'm not stupid, but whatever."

Gaara tilts his head, which would be very cute if his eyes weren't so intense and his arms were still crossed over his chest. Which, Naruto sees now, is covered in a tight-fitting maroon shirt with a black lightning-bolt/crack pattern scrolling down one side. The color complimented his hair and black-rimmed blue-green eyes, and for a minute Naruto is smiling for a whole knew reason. Until Gaara speaks. "Then, would you say our Faceless-and-Nameless aliases are our nicknames in our friendship?" _Since you seemed to use it that way when we parted at Starbucks last Sunday, _he adds mentally.

Naruto falters for just a minute. Then he's smiling warmly, his blue eyes tender in a playful way that made Gaara's heart skip a beat. "Exactly like that. Although our nicknames weren't made out of rivalry like Sasuke's and mine."

An expression unreadable but pleasant flashed across Gaara's face at that remark. Naruto wished he would have made the change back to impassive a little slow so that he could catch what expression Gaara had made. Whatever it had been, he liked it, and now it was gone.

"Thanks for stopping by, Naruto. You helped me with my father's death. But it's getting late; you should go."

Hazily, the blonde nods, standing up and heading for the door. While he slipped on his shoes (he had taken them off on entry), he murmured, "Bye, Gaara. See you in school. And don't be surprised if, like my phone calls, I randomly stop by." As the door opened he smiled politely. "And you know, I can help you find a new job. This time one where Sasuke would never work."

"I'm fine on my own. Goodbye."

"Okay. Bye!" And the door shut behind the blonde with a rush of air.

Oddly, this visit had gone from a means of comfort for a grief that was not there and into the seeking of hidden meaning between them through confessions of dreams, jealousy, and nicknames. It was strange, like reaching for what you can't get to, which Naruto thinks is Gaara's heart. He said he's want to slowly get deeper into it, which at the moment looked possible because he felt a tad closer to his earthquake, and yet… he felt farther away, as though Gaara were giving him a centimeter into his heart but stepping back a mile physically. Why is that? Why, when Naruto begins to think he could really crush on the redhead like he somewhat had with the faceless 'Resshin', Gaara gave of the impression of wanting not to get too wrapped up in things? Was he… was he afraid of close relationships? That would make a lot of sense. But how did he get that way? Did something happen in his past – with his father or someone else – to make Gaara that way?

Suddenly that was Naruto's new goal: get Gaara to spill his secrets.

The Uzumaki boy was determined to work his way into Gaara's heart far enough to earn a glimpse of his skeleton closet. Then, maybe, Naruto could show Gaara his own.

In the meantime, Gaara backed up against the front door, his hands against the cool wood and his head leaning back as he closed his eyes and panted through his nose. Talking with Naruto one-on-one, having him in his home… it made his stomach uneasy in ways he wasn't used to.

And oh, there was yet that heavy feeling pressing against his chest about his father. Now that the sunny blonde had left, the feeling returned, along with the numbness. The words 'detrimental benefit' popped up in his head, and he realized how true it was: a very detrimental thing to be rendered with no parents, his only one left – no matter how much he disliked the things he's done – gone like Wednesday's trash, which made you feel a bit empty somewhere deep down inside. A detriment, the loss of a semi-loved one. And yet… beneficial, because Gaara could never forgive his father and was glad someone like him was rid from the world, what with his violent ways and drinking problems and bipolar-like mood swings from his somewhat recent alcohol addiction. So, altogether, the death of the eldest Sabaku was a detrimental benefit.

Gaara shook his head, suddenly really needing coffee. And music. So, he flipped on his stereo and set the kettle on the stove, ready to search the Konoha News want ads for a new job. In addition he waited for that dreaded phone call he knew would come from either Kankurou or Temari saying they were on their way to stay with him for a while and arrange the funeral. You can chorus the f-word paired with a '-ing great', now.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto didn't come home until after sunset, and you could say that fact 'put Sasuke's panties in a bunch'. Not Kyuubi's, though; he was more than fine with it. "Have fun, son? Where'd you go, anyway? And how'd you get there? You didn't take the car or have anyone drive you, and I know your bike's messed up…"

"I walked. And, uh…" The blonde hesitates, since Sasuke was staring with narrowed eyes directly at him. "I went out for ice cream. And brought one to Gaara to, you know, lift his spirits. His dad died."

Kyuubi fell silent. "Oh. Jeez…" He raked both his hands through his hair and flashed his brown-red eyes to Naruto as his arms dropped to his sides with a clap. "I went to school with the Sabaku brothers; one of them was my best friend, actually. Shukaku. Sucks to hear his younger brother died… I wonder how he's taking it. They were pretty close for a couple of competitive siblings."

The blonde looked to his friend at the word 'competitive'; somehow, it was one of many words that described and reminded him of Sasuke. Shaking his head, Naruto murmured: "I dunno about the rest of his family, but Gaara was taking it well. He and his dad didn't see eye-to-eye, if you get my meaning."

Kyuubi snorted. "Why am I not surprised? He was never someone easy to get along with, and I heard some odd years ago he picked up drinking. Not the best father figure to have, I'd think. At least your pal is taking it alright." He then turns back to making dinner, which Naruto notices is spaghetti or some other pasta dish.

"Heaven forbid Gaara Sabaku cries," Sasuke mumbles grumpily, laying the sarcasm on thick. "And what's his room look like, Naruto? Was it to your liking?"

The two questions Sasuke shot at him were heavily coated in vicious, odious-based sexual innuendo. Naruto frowned at this, his mouth going into a scowl. He was about to yell, 'what the hell is that supposed to mean?!' or 'I didn't even go in his room!', but Kyuubi stopped him. The fox-like man stared down coldly at the Uchiha. A cruel, toothy grin reaches his features and in a means of being protective of his nephew and a smart-ass, Kyuubi retorts: "At least he's seen one more bedroom than you have."

Which probably wasn't true, since Naruto was a virgin and proudly so; sure, he was terribly perverted at times, there was no denying that… but he was no sex fiend. Sasuke, on the other hand, he couldn't be too sure. Lord only knows if _he's_ a virgin to date. Everyone knows Neji isn't. Kiba's questionable, too. (Kankurou definitely isn't, and Temari says she's not a virgin when in fact she is.)

Sasuke's expression hardens even more if possible, and he violently leaves the kitchen with a final kick to a chair. There was stomping down stairs and slamming of a door, signifying that the Uchiha has left the building. For now, it was good riddance.

A genuine smile of victory is on Kyuubi's face now, and he shakes his head while giving Naruto a pat on the shoulder. "That kid has real anger issues, doesn't he? It's like the lone emotion he has besides 'monotone'." At the word his face deadpans with his voice, mimicking the way Sasuke acts when he's in public or shutting things away.

Naruto laughs airily and scratches at his whisker-like scars, nervously wondering what dastardly deeds were forming in the raven-haired boy's mind at this very minute. Sasuke, as good of a friend he can be, can also get very sour and vengeful. He was probably plotting his revenge on Kyuubi right now. Naruto shuddered at the thought of that he might do.

o0o0o0o0o

Kankurou was the first to show up. Two days following Temari's call and Naruto's ice cream, Gaara had his old duplex mate back, as well as his pre-drinking brother. Apparently, he was off alcohol for good, and wasn't even going to pick up smoking. In a dull sense, Gaara was proud of his older brother. True, it was out of fear and guilt that he was coming to his senses and being responsible, but at least he was trying.

"Temari said she'd be here tomorrow," the brunette says as he paces the living room, the TV on though neglected, and his fingernails currently being chewed to nothing.

"Kankurou," Gaara says flatly, his voice low and meaningful. It was a warning, a tone of voice that with anyone else would say, 'sit the fuck down, you're making me nervous'. In the redhead's case, it was saying, 'kindly seat your nervous ass unless you want me to kick it'.

Kankurou sighed and heeded the warning, his bottom meeting couch and feet meeting ottoman. "I can't believe he's gone…" he whispers, and Gaara comes to sit beside him, a bold action he normally wouldn't make. Kankurou doesn't notice, merely reclines his head and closes his eyes. One meaty hand comes up to cover brown eyes and rub a wrinkles forehead. "I mean, heh, he just always seemed to be there… a phantom out of our lived physically but haunting us in our memories, always an ax waiting to fall. Dad was kind of an ass, even if he wasn't always that way. He meant well when we were little… I dunno, I guess I'm not really that sad that he's dead. Really, I think I'm dreading the funeral because that means seeing him again. That, and, funerals suck. Fucking liver failure from all his alcohol poisoning; no surprise there. Tch."

The youngest Sabaku boy simply watches his brother, his arms over his chest and his eyes unblinking, his face wiped clean of any emotion whatsoever. Perfectly nonchalant, the perfect observer, and a good person to have around after someone's death.

Gaara notices that Kankurou was wearing his favorite hat, a black beanie cap that was made by Temari when she was 10 and messing around with yarn. It almost looked like it had black cat ears the way she pointed the top, and would be cuter if Kankurou were younger again. He starts yanking it off, ruffling the brown hair underneath. "What a week," the middle child remarks faintly.

"I agree," Gaara says, the very first words since Kankurou arrived.

The other peers over at the redhead, a confused look of sorts on his face, as if he never heard Gaara's voice before and mistook him for someone else. The look disappears and he forces a smile. "Now how about dinner?"


	22. Chapter 21: Black Ties and Blacker Lies

**A/N: yeah, i could've written about the entire funeral because i've been to two on memory, but i didn't feel like it so much. i wanted fluff instead. and more Sneaky Saucegay. so here we are with Black Ties and Blacker Lies. enjoy, and try not to get too depressed! and look... we get to see some Shukaku! yay! as much as i adore Kyuubi, Shu's still cool. don't ask me why, but i kinda have a soft spot for the Kitsune and the Tanuki. even if they are kinda evil, haha. (and my RP with Rianne-ennaiR helped my soft spot even more. XD )**

**and ho damn, i broke 6,600 hits! and i have 41 favs and 51 alerts! ama-za-zing! #huggles all of you#  
keep up those stats and help me reach 200 reviews, please! ONLY 15 TO GO. :0**

* * *

Chapter 21: Black Ties and Blacker Lies

"What's the expression when you have to dress formally? 'Black tie'? Tch, I bet they got it from funerals. Damn, I hate them. Everyone's either: weepy, pale-faced, quiet, or nervous. None of which are pleasant emotions to have," Kankurou complained as Temari did up his tie since he didn't know how. "And then everyone is always saying, 'sorry for your loss' or 'he/she was a good man/woman' or 'hang in there, it'll be alright'. Tch. Like any of that is true in our case. _No one_ is sorry. Dad _wasn't_ a good man. And we're _not_ left hanging, so everything **is **alright!"

You could tell he was trying not to cry.

His voice broke on occasion and his eyes looked glossy, which was strange for the brunette. In truth, he had been the closest to their father when he was younger; he was the 'chip off the old block', the one who looked just like their father and had the same dry sense of humor.

"Listen, Kanky –" Temari starts, but is cut off by said brunette.

"I told you not to call me that!" the young adult snaps. His voice lowers as he grumbles: "It sounds too close to 'kinky'."

She makes one final, jerking adjustment to the tie, purposely so it would make him wince. "Well then, I guess I wouldn't be too far off base," she snaps. Suddenly the blonde is grinning. "Besides, you had no troubles with me calling you that when we were little. You'd call me Tem-Tem and we'd both call Gaara 'Gaa-cookie' because he liked cookies when he was young. He'd always be asking for them, even if Dad would get mad and tell him to stop being such a cookie monster." She sighed, walking away from Kankurou to put in her black-and-silver dangling earrings. "Sometimes I really miss being a kid. Things were much simpler then."

"And Dad wasn't a complete drunk yet," Kankurou added sourly.

The entire time this was going on, Gaara stood facing his dresser-top mirror, looking more like he was going to a wedding than a funeral with his white suit, blood red tie, black shoes, and matching black belt. Technically, you could wear either white or black to a funeral, or merely nice clothing to show respect for the dead. Since Gaara wasn't in mourning, he wore white, along with a tie that matched his hair. He made a face at his reflection, for once not wearing the thick layer of eyeliner over his sleepless bruises. Temari had insisted on covering them up with makeup she had in his skin tone lying around; which suddenly left Gaara's eyes looking dull and average and less intense. Funny what a circle of eyeliner could do to make his gaze that much more dramatic…

With a shrug to himself, Gaara stepped back and turned on his heel. He headed for the family room, which was where he knew his siblings would be waiting. And there they were, Temari dressed in a slimming black dress that reached just above her knees, black stockings, fingerless forearm sleeves, heavy mascara and her hair pulled into a loose ponytail-bun sort of loop. Kankurou, on the other hand, was clad in a rough looking suit that's seen better days, black shoes, his favorite hat (which obviously didn't match and made him appear to have cat ears), and a grumpy frown. He looked the worst of the three of them, and clearly felt the worst despite how many times Temari has been the one to keep them informed on their father with hospital visits and the like. She truly was feeling strong, if not empty. Gaara didn't understand his own emotions, though they somewhat mirrored the numb feeling he had before Naruto had visited him four days ago.

"Let's get going," Kankurou mumbles and pushes past Temari and Gaara to the front door. He slips out in a huff, heading straight for the car. At this, Temari and Gaara exchange glances (the college girl's holding more expression, of 'course). Then they sigh or shrug, following their bother. Gaara's arms were once again pulled into a fold, drawn purposely tight across his chest, as if he were holding something in. Temari looked to be hugging her lower self around her slim waist, her pace sluggish compared to her usual. She, too, was trying to comfort herself and hold something in. Probably tears, despite her own mixed feelings for their father.

In the car, Kankurou was the one to drive, but Temari rode shotgun and took control of the stereo. The melodic tunes of the Shiny Toy Guns began to play, the song 'Shaken' being the first choice on their CD, We Are Pilots. Ironically, it was the perfect mood music.

_Running in circles  
Chasing pain  
Of yesterday  
Shaken... fearful  
Because I've come  
Back for what is trouble  
Still..._

_I will wait it out  
I will wait it out  
I will wait it out  
I will not be shaken_

Gaara sighed heavily, a sound that even put a bit of his vocal cords to work, causing Temari to look back at him through the mirror above her in the fold-down panel usually used to block blinding sunlight. "Gaara?" she asked curiously, her voice wavering with worry.

He shook his head delicately, his eyes closing. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't think this funeral would affect him so much, and yet it is. The redhead was almost angry with himself for being so weak about a man he didn't like, though not quite. He couldn't feel anger to it's fullest; instead, it picked at him with dull annoyance, like a gnat flying in the corner of one's sight.

_Strange calls to meet those  
Who feel and know  
How to give up  
The stage lights  
And heroes  
Razor pain  
Rubbed it all away, love  
Still…_

_I will wait it out  
I will wait it out  
I will wait it out  
I will not be shaken  
Not be your shaken…  
No…_

Reclining his head, the poet merely focused on the song and lyrics, trying to escape his own thoughts. Though it was more his sister's music than his own, it sounded good at the moment, fitting somehow. He subconsciously tapped his heel in time with the beat.

_Didn't notice it right away  
Didn't notice it until it was too late  
I'm gonna change my desire  
For your all-consuming fire  
Didn't wanna cry out at night  
Didn't wanna stop at mid-flight  
I didn't plan for the fall  
When I was running from it all..._

_Have I no evil  
Citizen Cain  
Slowed– my desperate running  
Still..._

_I will wait it out  
I will wait it out  
I will wait it out  
I will not be shaken  
Not be shaken  
No…  
Will not be shaken_

As the song ended, Temari flipped to 'Don't Cry Out', but at this point they were nearly there (the funeral home wasn't too far. Konoha was small that way), so Gaara tuned it out and sat up, watching the scenery fly by with stunningly bright colors against the cloudy grey sky. A few red, silver, dark blue, and black cars flashed in his vision, along with a white vehicle or two. Oddly enough, he spied a lime green Nissan and could have sworn he saw someone he knew inside of it, though the thought passed quickly and he soon forgot he had seen anything at all.

Kankurou pulled rather degradedly into the parking lot, slamming the breaks and wheeling into an unoccupied space. He unbuckled himself and slammed the car door as he exited, his hands going into his pockets as he walked up the damp blacktop to the ancient-looking building. Temari watched him for a moment, studying the way he walked so stiffly, his head bowed. She sighed and shook her head briskly. Then, as if hesitant to get out of the car, she punched the 'off' button on the stereo and unbuckled herself. She slipped out of the car with grace, motioning to Gaara to do the same. Her teal eyes looked watery but steady, and it gave Gaara the courage to unbuckle his own seat belt and slide to the backseat car door, promptly throwing it open and stepping out. His shoes clicked listlessly on the hard surface of the parking lot, and his eyes scanned the people who showed up as his hand lingered on the metal of the car door.

"There's quite a few people here," Temari stated, mirroring what Gaara's eyes were saying. "Guess Dad was pretty well known."

Silently the younger teen nodded. He turned and began sauntering over to the great front porch of the funeral home, towards the wide-open doors with stained glass windows in the mahogany wood. Temari followed suit, her hair bobbing as she walked in her high heels. She sped up her pace for a moment until she was somewhat next to Gaara, her fingers clutching her handbag with a grip that could kill.

Upon entry, most everyone shed their coats and jackets, although Gaara (and Kankurou) didn't bother. The pastor of the nearby church and the head speaker for such occasions walked up to the trio, embracing Temari with the lightest of movements before shaking Kankurou's hand and nodding his head in acknowledgement at Gaara. "I'm so sorry about your father. God knows he was a good man up to the point of his alcoholism. I bet the three of you are devastated. If your mother were here, why, she'd be a wreck. How are you holding up? If you need to talk, I'm all ears."

"There is nothing to say," Gaara mutters coldly, beginning to stalk off. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to see his father lying in an open casket, and he certainly didn't want to talk to some pastor he hardly knew.

"Sorry about that; he's sensitive," Temari tells the pastor softly, referring to Gaara. "Dad's death… doesn't rest right with him. They didn't really get along, so Gaara's taking it… sourly."

"I see," the elderly man nods. "Well, I suppose he won't want to say anything, then."

"No, he won't." Kankurou agrees, his tone low.

"But you will, I hope?" the man asks, his eyes on Kankurou.

"We both will," Temari tells him as she steps over to the brunette, her arms coming around his shoulder and squeezing. "I even have a speech planned out. Kankurou doesn't, but he can make something up. Can't you, Kankurou?"

"Yeah, sure," he mumbles, his voice cracking in the slightest. His mind was already running through all the things he could say.

Gaara, a ways away, was sitting down on a loveseat, his hands rubbing his upper arms anxiously. Why did this place make him so uncomfortable? It's not that he fears death or the dead, it was just… He stopped his travels up and down his arms, realizing he was wrinkling the sleeves and making the friction much too hot on his skin beneath. Why he even felt the need to rub out his emotions he had no idea, but the urge for the action left as soon as it had come. And it was strange, since normally the rubbing of one's arms is a means of getting warmer. But he wasn't cold.

Suddenly, a bright yellow-gold color catches Gaara's eye in his peripheral vision, paired with russet orange. He turns his head to find Naruto and Kyuubi. A hairless eyebrow rises in interest. _What are they doing here?_ he asks himself.

"Gaara, there you are…" Naruto says, walking over with a somber face and glittering crystal blue eyes. "How you feelin'?"

"I've been better," the redhead says with a bit more emotion that he meant to. "What are you doing here?" he prompts, deciding to speak his earlier thoughts.

Kyuubi nods to Gaara as he and his adoptive son come closer. "I went to school with your dad and his brother; Shu and I were good friends. And Naruto came to make sure you were doing okay, the worrywart." He shrugs his shoulders, his red-brown eyes flashing. "Seems hard to believe, really. Always been a rock, both of the Sabaku brothers… hard to believe one of them kicked the bucket."

That's Kyuubi for you: blunt and teasing, yet with a caring tone. Because he did care, although he showed it in the oddest manner.

Gaara adverted his eyes and Naruto sat down next to him, an unusual sensation churning in his stomach as the other teen did so. "Are you going to go look at your dad? Or say something at the ceremony?"

"No," Gaara replies stiffly. He refuses to look at his e-pal as he says so, though he does shift his weight to show he wasn't ignoring the other.

Naruto's gaze softens and he looks at the floor. "I didn't think so. But I'm here for you anyway."

The redhead almost wanted to ask why the hurricane cared so much, and why it mattered, but he held his tongue. That wasn't the sort of thing to converse in a place like this. Over the speakers, the song 'Cold Inside' by Hurt began to play, a fitting song for a funeral scene. Gaara stands abruptly as soon as the vocals come in, and it startles Naruto. "I'm getting a drink," he says, walking over to a table were tissues and cups sat, beside it a water cooler. He picks up a cup and fills it with water, sipping and shivering unnoticeably at the temperature.

Crumpling the cup and tossing it in a nearby garbage, Gaara is tempted it either sit and wait for the ceremony in the adjoining room or to walk out. He didn't want to be here, especially not when Naruto was here. This is worse than Yashamaru's funeral and possibly worse than his mother's even if he was much too young to even remember any of it.

"Gaara?" says an unsure voice, and Resshin tenses under a warm hand that is laid on his shoulder. Naruto Uzumaki to the rescue. Sort of.

"Don't touch me," he murmurs in reply, shrugging the tan fingers from his shoulder. Warmth passes through him as those fingers seem to graze his shoulder blade on his back before falling away completely.

"Sorry." Naruto steps aside as Gaara walked towards the pews in the next room. He mindlessly follows the redhead.

He looks back, however, when he hears Kyuubi's husky voice call out to someone. "Shukaku! Long time no see, eh? Sucks seeing you again after so long in a place like this. Are you doing alright? I mean, he was your little brother, so…"

"I don't know what to say, Kyuu," Naruto sees a sandy-skinned man reply, scrolling tattoos of purple-blue ink dancing across his skin (most likely from his wild young-adult days). He had medium-toned sandy blonde hair much different than Kyuubi's own reddish locks, and his eyes looked dark yet were a brownish golden color. Shukaku's lips were tied into a tight line of grief, and his broad shoulders were slacked. Looking at this schoolmate of his uncle's, Naruto thought of an animal. Much like when someone looks at Kyuubi they think: _Kitsune_, or 'fox'. When Naruto looked at this Shukaku character, he automatically thought: _Tanuki_, or 'raccoon dog'. What an anomalous pair they made together, too, the way they were standing in front of one another like that and conversing.

Speaking of conversing… if Gaara didn't want to be touched, then he can at least be talked to. And Naruto had said his new goal was to get him to spill his secrets… so why not try it out now, at a funeral? It's one of the best places to be open at, anyhow. Smiling inwardly, the blonde continued his tracking of the redhead and sat down beside him, causing the other teen to jump in his own skin. "Hey; looks like our uncles are talking. Funny how they went to school together and we were friends just like how we are. Except, you know, your uncle is fully blood related to you and you're not living with him," the blonde smiles dully. He smiles and looks away from Gaara's impassive profile. "You don't want to be here, do you?"

Gaara snorts in a falsely amused way, finally acknowledging that Naruto was saying something. He leans back in the wooden pew and crosses his arms over his chest. That seems to be what he's doing the most of these days. "Oh, was I that obvious?" he states with a load of sarcasm.

"Sorry," Naruto says for the second time in 5 minutes. He pauses. "Then why are you here? Why not ditch this depressing dump and do something else?"

"He was my father. I have to be here." Is all he says, but what he means is: 'That's a very hard thing to do when his children are compelled to go no matter what. We're the only people in his will besides Uncle Shukaku.'

The Uzumaki boy makes a face. "Yeah, I guess, but if I were in your shoes I'd high-tail it out of here. Dead people laying in boxes creeps me out, and usually the whole place is weeping."

And he had a point; there were quite a few tear-jerking upset faces walking around. Plus, when you look at the formaldehyde-stuffed corpse that is so much paler, colder, and empty than how the person was in life, it's a scary thing. It's scary to know that what you see is a shell, a body with no soul, no beating heart, and no working brain. Just a mix of hair, skin, muscle, fat, and bone; no longer a person but a hunk of dead weight. It's creepy.

The pastor comes to the podium and clears his throat at the music overhead slows down and he prepares his speech. It sounds almost like a wedding with his first set of words, though not the entire sentence. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to honor the passing away of…" At this, Gaara winces, because they say his father's full name. He didn't like his father's name. It reminded him too much of who he's related to and where he came from and who's hit him repeatedly and who blamed him for his mother's and Uncle Yashamaru's untimely deaths. Yashamaru, his mother's brother, had a death that didn't even relate to Gaara, and yet he was blamed by his father for that, too. It seemed anything his father didn't like it was taken out on Gaara. And the redhead was sick of it, and his father's name. If he could, he never wanted to hear that full name ever again.

Naruto noticed the way Gaara shrunk back in a wince. He leans towards his earthquake, daring to whisper in his ear: "You really can run out if you want to, you know. No one will blame you for leaving."

**Blame.** What, could Naruto read his thoughts or something? Or was his choice of words merely a coincidence? Either way, it helped Gaara make a decision. Just as Temari came up to the podium to start her speech, Gaara stood. His head was facing a startled Naruto and his lips made the movement of the blonde's name, though no sound was produced. Then, swiftly and silently, Gaara fled the scene and walked out into the now drizzling outside.

Even if he wasn't the best lip-reader, Naruto knew his name when he saw it. He took Gaara's mouthed utter of his name as an invite, and showed himself out. He passed by Kyuubi and Shukaku, who were now in a funny position: the tattooed man's forehead on Kyuubi's shoulder as he shook with sobs, muffled and breathy. Since when did Shukaku start crying? And how come on his adoptive father? Naruto shrugged these thoughts away as he became instantly wet in the light rain.

He found Gaara sitting on a bench under a willow tree, it's vines swaying in Konoha's breeze, a leaf or two bidding the vine farewell as it flickered in the wind to land on Gaara's lap. He dusted it from his white slacks and looked up as he heard Naruto approach. They'd leave the premises if either one of them had an extra car; otherwise they'd be stranding Kyuubi or Temari and Kankurou here.

"I couldn't take much more of it, either; funerals aren't my thing (like they're anybody's?). I mean… I didn't even know your dad. And what I do know of him doesn't sound too respectable." Naruto shakes his head, sitting beside Gaara once more.

Gaara was almost tired of having Naruto sit next to him – in Chemistry, on the loveseat, in the pews, on this bench – but didn't have the energy to shoo him away. In a matter of speaking he had invited the blonde to join him, so it was his own damn fault. Not to mention that Naruto is his 'friend', which explained and allowed many things.

Naruto blew air out his mouth and fidgeted, mostly moving his hands. "So… I was thinking… once this is over, maybe you and I could do something together. To get your mind off things. What d'ya say, Gaara? Are you up for that?" He looks over at the redhead, waiting for a response or eye contact or both.

At first, all he got was a mere nod. Then: "That… actually… sounds like a good idea." In the grey light, Gaara's blue-green eyes appeared mint, and for a moment Naruto couldn't help but stare as the poet locks gazes with him. He had the most interesting eyes; they were the lone part of his face that kept nearly all his emotions open to read, if you looked carefully enough. Talk about your 'windows to the soul'.

"Resshin…" Naruto says so softly that, though the pitter-patter of raindrops, he's hardly heard. He flushes in embarrassment, even if the other day he told Gaara it was his sort of friendly nickname for the redhead. But just then, it hadn't sounded friendly; it had sounded sugary and full of compassion, because in an odd way, Naruto understood the kind of hurt Gaara was feeling right now. He understood the confusion of emotion and the pain of losing without missing. He understood perfectly.

Gaara blinks once, staring blankly at Naruto. He thought he heard something said by the blonde, something close to 'Resshin'. "Yes?" he ventures, for once able to keep eye contact with those endless blues.

It was Naruto's turn to blink, and he rapidly does so twice. He hadn't thought Gaara heard him. "Uh, never mind." He shakes his head at himself. What had he been about to say? Naruto couldn't even remember now. _How come Gaara has that effect on me?_ The blonde silently wondered as he found himself leaning over closer to said redhead.

He wanted to help, wanted to comfort, wanted to take whatever Gaara was feeling away and make him like how he was not a week ago. Why he wanted to he had no idea, other than the reason of Gaara being his friend. No, that's a lie; and Naruto knows that's a lie. It's a black lie, too, one that puts someone in denial. In this case, Naruto was refusing to admit the feelings he has growing for Gaara. And he knows they're there; he felt them ever since 'Resshin' read a poem to him on the phone. It started then. And although he wasn't happy with Resshin being Gaara at first, now it made utter sense to him and it only helped his feelings grow. So in this moment, where he could notice the thin line of short eyelashes on Gaara's lids (he was getting that close), he let himself accept that he had a crush on the boy beside him. **Possibly in love with the boy beside him.** Even if it is a guy and not a girl; even if he used to hate this same person with a burning, slightly jealous passion; even if Lee liked this boy, too; and even if Gaara may never return his feelings, at least he knew what his feelings were.

Now the question was: should he tell Gaara?

It'd be best not to. Especially not when he nearly had told the poet with that e-mail.

All of a sudden, Kankurou comes bursting out of the funeral home, and Naruto and Gaara jerk their heads in the brunette's direction. They watched silently as Temari comes skittering out the door in pursuit of him, calling out his name. "Kankurou! Wait!"

"Why did you have to go and say all that shit, huh? Why did you make it sound like you loved him and missed him and that he was a good person? He's not! He's a dick! Our father was a downright dick!!" Kankurou shouts back, fiddling with the car keys in his pocket as he stormed over to the vehicle, trying to unlock it.

Kankurou was crying.

Finally, it seemed, Gaara's brother broke in half and surrendered to the tears he had been fighting all day. The thought of him breaking down made Temari's own eyes well with tears. "Kankurou…" she says gently, so much different than the tough-girl demeanor Naruto knew.

He watched with his head cocked to the side, subconsciously leaning away from Gaara in his older sibling's presence as if he had been caught with his hands down the boy's pants. Not that he had been about to do such a thing; but Naruto thought that to them (meaning Gaara's brother and sister), it might look like he had been about to kiss the other teen, which certainly could be just as bad. Because, really: who kisses someone romantically _at a funeral?_ Not to mention that the rain was beginning to come down in thicker sheets.

Temari laid her hand on Kankurou shoulder. "I know you were closest to Dad, and –"

"No I wasn't!" Kankurou snaps, dropping the keys on the hard, wet ground. "I hated him!"

Temari frowned at him and with a loud 'clap' smacked the side of his head. "You're acting like a child, Kankurou! Stop it! Say that you miss him, okay? Dad wasn't always so bad, and you know it. Just admit it… just say that you miss him…" And she also began to cry, too-heavy tears falling from her dark teal eyes and disappearing into the chilling rain.

"I… I miss Dad," Kankurou murmurs, only audible to himself and Temari. And Temari – messy-haired, wet, and cold – took him in her arms as if she were his mother.

Naruto felt movement skimming the hand he had on the bench, and looked up to find amidst the willow vines red hair and a solemn face. Gaara was standing, though he looked unsure what he was going to do.

Which is utterly true. He knew he should go to Temari and Kankurou and do the brotherly I'm-here-for-you thing, but he found himself unable to move passed that standing motion. Prickles of cold wetness stung his fair-skinned face and made his bangs stick to the tattoo on his forehead, and for a minute his brain froze.

As if sensing Gaara's blanked mind, Naruto pushed himself up into standing position and moves to stand in front of the redhead. "Forget about hanging out. Go to your family; they need you, Gaara."

He blinks, unsure what to say in response, or if he even should heed Naruto's words. If the circumstances were different (meaning they were still 'enemies'), Gaara might have replied with a curt, 'don't tell me what to do,' or a simple glare stating the same thing. But in this moment, he nodded, beginning to walk in his siblings' direction. Naruto may not be right about them needing him, but who knows? Maybe he was right and they did. You can never decipher these sorts of things; you merely have to act.

So, with a deliberate pace, Gaara made his way to their car as Naruto watched from a distance. Silently, Naruto wondered what would happen after they drove out of sight and landed at home.

No one ever found out what. No, the trio kept the events to themselves, what happened being too embarrassing, since it mainly involved a loss of control.

o0o0o0o0o

When school came around again, Sasuke seemed to be getting desperate; desperate for a chance to be accepted into the ANBU and win Naruto's heart from what he thought were Gaara's clutches. And he would be half right. Only half, though, because Naruto's emotions weren't quite as strong for the redhead as Sasuke's were for the blonde, and because Gaara's own emotions were unknown.

Walking down the halls to his locker, however, gave him idea… Because who else was at her locker two metal doors down from Sasuke's own but Ino? Of 'course, she contained her excitement at Sasuke's approaching form, knowing all too well how uninterested he is in women. That is, up until he got this brilliant idea.

Setting his books in his newly opened locker, Sasuke flashed his signature half-grin at the platinum blonde girl. "Hey Ino," he says in a voice that makes her knees go weak.

"Y-yeah, Sasuke?" she breathes out, turning to lock gazes with his nearly black eyes.

"I was just thinking how damn good you look today. Maybe you wouldn't mind going out to dinner with me on Friday?" he practically purrs. Sasuke could be just as manipulative as his brother or any of his Akatsuki colleagues if he wanted to. He sounded terribly out of character with those words, and he felt like rolling his eyes at Ino's teeny squeal of delight, but held his gaze with her and kept his smile in place.

"R-really?!" the cheerleader gasps. She has a terrible urge to hug him right now. But instead her face falls into a frown as she asks in a low tone, "But I thought you were… um… _gay_, Sasuke."

He waves a hand. "Nah, not really. I've always liked chicks, but guys are cool, too. Guess you could call me bisexual, but really I just like who I like. And boy, Ino, I'm likin' you right about now." All lies, horribly black and dirty. He liked Naruto. He never really cared much for the female portion of the human race. But this was his idea: get Ino to date him, act like he's falling for her, and watch as the knuckleheaded Uzumaki boy gets steaming jealous and falls for him instead of stupid _Gaara_.

At first, Ino's rendered wordless, her tongue getting tied into complex knots in her mouth. She was also blushing a nice bright magenta, all her dreams coming true right before her eyes. Slowly, she smiled broadly. "Of 'course I'll go out with you this Friday!" Inwardly, she was thinking: _In your face, Sakura! I get Sasuke before you do! Ha!_ Though those thoughts didn't last too long. Really, it wasn't something she wanted to rub in her best friend's face; really, it was just a small girly triumph lots of girls think when they get asked out by a guy they know someone else has a crush on.

"Cool," Sasuke replies with his usual aloofness. "I'll pick you up at 5:00." Ino's eyes practically shined.

Technically, Sasuke was jobless once more, but that didn't mean he had no cash. He had plenty, and always will, because the Uchihas were a big family with many dead relatives which left all their belongings to the living ones. That made Sasuke, Itachi, and Madara pretty loaded. Although Sasuke himself was the youngest, which made getting his own place with that money a problem. A big problem, actually. So he was trying to earn his own money outside of the Uchiha name in hopes of sneaking into some place to live.

As Ino's clicking heels against the tiled flooring echoed in Sasuke's head, he smirked to himself and headed for class, books in hand. Now all he had to do was wait for the girl he was now dating to spread the word, and Naruto will be putty in his hands.

Or so he thought.

Because let's face reality: none of Sasuke's plans ever go accordingly. That, and Naruto's a stubborn individual.


	23. Chapter 22: The ANBU Base of Ops

**A/N: for today, you get a...  
WARNING: cliche fluff moment, a possibly OOC Kakashi and Sai, and _a lot_ of foreshadowing. **

* * *

Chapter 22: The ANBU Base of Ops

Sasuke had chose Ino as a pawn in his jealousy scheme for three reasons: 1, she's liked him since elementary school; 2, she's popular, hence a good person to spread gossip; and 3, she was also an Arian (though her eyes and hair are much lighter colored and less intense), which would give Naruto all the more reason to be envious that Sasuke was dating her.

And as far as reason number 2 goes, it was put into action almost immediately. By lunch hour, everyone was buzzing about their date on Friday. Sasuke couldn't wait for that hour, knowing he had lunch with Naruto. This gave him a chance to see the blonde's envious reaction. Like the Grinch in the Christmas-special cartoon, Sasuke's mouth curled into a malevolent grin that showed nearly all his teeth for a flash of a second, his brows curved downward to cast shadows over his already dark eyes.

As soon as that terribly eerie smile dissolved, Sasuke's face fell into his usual I-could-care-less expression as he stepped into the cafeteria. His friends were no where to be seen, and it took him a moment to realize that they were out on the giant steps near the doors that lead to outside. Grabbing something quick to eat and paying without getting his change, the Uchiha strode to the little group.

"Hey Sasuke," Sakura says a little stiffly. She wasn't too happy that Ino was dating her tall-dark-and-handsome lingering crush. "Excited about your date Friday?"

He doesn't reply at first. Shikamaru grunts. "Don't blame you for saying nothing, man. Women are troublesome. They always want to have fancy dates, always want you to dress nice, always want you to make the first move… tch." And he clicks his tongue, annoyed, while rolling his eyes. His hair, for once, was up in tight-knit hat instead of it's usual stubby, spiky ponytail. He bit into a sandwich, looking sideways.

Chouji, his best friend since kindergarten, knew what that look meant. He smirks, his swirly cheeks getting plumper than they already were. "You make it sound like you're dating someone, Shika. Is it that e-pal? The college girl? C'mon, you can tell us!"

An odd sight occurred then: Shikamaru flushed the tiniest bit. "_Maybe_ it's her… but what does it matter, huh?"

Kiba Inuzuka was the type to jump at a chance to tease. He grins broadly, slightly-too-long canines grazing his bottom lip. "It matters plenty, dude. 'Cause ain't she Gaara's big sister? If you tap that, you're in for hell."

Shikamaru glares at Kiba and (at the moment) resents his dirty mind. "I'm** not** going to knock her up, Kiba. We just started dating. 'Sides, what if I get her pregnant? That'd be a real drag."

Next to Sasuke, Naruto starts cracking up. "Be glad you're not the girl, Shika! Or else it'd be more of a drag because _you'd_ be pregnant! Hahaha!"

"Shut up, Naruto!" Shikamaru snaps, bonking the blonde on the head.

Sakura and Kiba burst out laughing as well, their minds flashing with the image of a girly Shikamaru in a skirt with shaved legs and a round belly poking out. Sasuke merely rolls his eyes. He leans back against the steps, shaking his head at his friends. Why had he run away, again? Oh yeah. Potential rape. Still, being in a boarding school was better than here; everyone was more serious and less… immature. They're 17, and juniors; why are they acting this way?

"Hullo everyone!" says a chipper voice, and heads turn to find a broad smile and thick eyebrows around grey-black eyelashed eyes. 'Like a Rock' (from his middle school wrestling days) Lee.

"Lee! Hey!! What're you doing in this lunch period?" Sakura says cheerfully, Naruto waving on the other side of her.

"I got a schedule change. But it's a good thing! Now I can share all my youthful memory-making moments with my comrades at lunch! Yosh!" Lee cheers, practically bouncing off the walls. He came and sat near Naruto and Sakura on a step down from them, right below Sasuke. Glancing up, he greeted the Uchiha. "I never got to express my joy of having you back, Sasuke Uchiha. So… welcome back!"

"Hn," he grunts, not caring to say 'thanks'.

Sakura shoves the duck-butt haired boy with a small frown. Then, she smiles sweetly at Lee. "He's glad to be back, Lee."

"Oh! I also wanted to congratulate him on taking Ino out on a date! She was very happy in class today."

That reminded Sasuke: now was when he could see Naruto's reaction to those words. He looked to the blonde with hope. But Naruto seemed unfazed in the jealousy section. "What? Really? That's so awesome!" Naruto laughs, playfully smacking Sasuke. "So you finally got over me, huh? Good for you! And I bet Ino appreciates it."

If only he knew how much those words stung. Sasuke flinched unnoticeably, his heart sinking. Naruto… didn't care? He was even happy that Sasuke was going out with someone other than him? _**No.** No! This was not how things were supposed to turn out!_ His fists clenched, and his teeth ground together. But he loosened when he realized something: Naruto could be faking it for the sake of reputation and everyone else around him. Or maybe he won't be jealous until he sees Sasuke actually interacting with Ino. Hope returned, and he smirked vaguely. "She does. And yeah, I'm far past being over you. In fact…" he instantly made a new plan, one that'll have Naruto turning to him on his knees. "I don't even care that you and Gaara are getting so close. I was even wondering: who kissed who first?"

Nothing could compare to the red that presently colored Naruto's face. He was like Hinata, utterly pink all over like a ripening tomato. Kiba even pointed this out with a chuckle. "Oi, Naruto, you're as red as my girlfriend!"

Lee's face fell from his cheery smile at the name 'Gaara'. He looked frantically between Sasuke and Naruto. "Wait… is that… true? Naruto?"

"We haven't kissed!" the blonde snaps, his persona trembling. Sakura looked quizzically at him, and Lee's face kept contorting. "I-I-I mean, we're just friends! And not as close as you'd think…" _or as close as I'd want to be, _he adds.

Relief crosses Lee's face, and then his smile was back. "Well it's good to hear that you've befriended Gaara Sabaku! I wish I had the guts to," the athlete says sheepishly.

"Aw, Lee, you could if you wanted to," Sakura reassures, laying a hand on the older boy's shoulder (Lee was technically senior-aged, but had a late birthday, so Gai held him back a year as a child. This made him a junior like all the rest of them. Which is fine, because he's young at heart).

Lee shrugs in response. "Thanks Sakura, but I think I'd be much too nervous!"

Kiba snorts. "Anyone but Naruto would be. The guy's really… 'stotic', I think the word is. Shino used it to describe him."

"It's 'stoic'," Shikamaru mutters. He really is a bright kid, though he acted like it all too much effort.

Naruto shoots a glare at Kiba. "What d'ya mean, 'anyone but Naruto'?!"

Kiba grins, but shrugs it off as it he didn't mean anything by it. Really, what he meant was Naruto's social abilities to befriend – and even change – anybody he came across. Like this couple, Haku and Zabuza; they were a bit on the weird side, even part of the ANBU, but while Naruto was a freshman (14) he convinced them to separate from the 'secret police' and do their own thing, live their own lives, and go to a good college. In the end, it all worked out. Because (unlike the Akatsuki) you can depart from the ANBU without being killed. They just keep operatives on the lookout for you to make sure you don't spill their secrets. But if you were in the Akatsuki, they would kill you if you left or betrayed them. And that's a fact.

Sasuke grits his teeth again. Nothing's working! He thought by mentioning Naruto's and Gaara's growing relationship in front of Lee that Lee would get jealous or hurt and accuse Naruto of things, and then Naruto would feel guilty about taking Lee's crush and lay off of Gaara for Lee's sake. Which would make him free for Sasuke to have. But no, that didn't work. There was still his plan with Ino, however… Perhaps that'll work out. Sasuke relaxed, his teeth unclenching. He wasn't about to give up. There was plenty more things he could do.

Suddenly, Sai came walking up to the group on the steps, whom were presently chatting idly. "Excuse me," he says with a fake smile, standing with his hands behind his back in front of the group.

"Oh, hey, Sai! Wussup?" Naruto addressed, nodding his head to the vampire-pale teen.

"I came to ask the Uchiha something," the artist replies.

"What is it?" Sasuke grunts, standing up.

"It won't take long; just follow me to the restroom and we can discuss a few things before lunch ends."

Sasuke looks sideways at Sai, wondering what the hell he wanted. "Humph. Fine."

The two black-haired boys leave, causing stares from Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru. Kiba and Chouji seemed more concerned with throwing grapes into the chubbier boy's mouth than what Sasuke was up to. Or Sai, for that matter.

Meanwhile, Sasuke paced down the hallways, turning into the men's room with Sai ahead of him. The tiled room was empty. Sai turns on his heel abruptly, making Sasuke stumble to stop so not to run into the thinner teen. "I've been listening in on Uzumaki's and Haruno's conversations in art class since they sit at my table. And I was overhearing them talking about you a few times, one of them mentioning your interest in the ANBU."

"So I want to join the Konoha mafia; what's it to you? Are you going to stop me?"

Sai flashes his eyes up at Sasuke, making the other raise an eyebrow. "Quite the contrary, Sasuke Uchiha: I want to help you get in. Because I've been looking for new recruits for my division, and you're the perfect candidate. In fact… Danzo (the leader of my division) has been keeping a tab on you for some time snow. He was half afraid you'd turn to the Akatsuki instead, but I knew better. I even entered this school as a new student just to spy on you and see if you were planning to join us. Sorry if that sounds a bit creepy, but the ANBU must do background research on all possible recruits for as long as possible."

Sasuke blinked a few times, astounded. "What… really?"

The other nods, utterly serious. "So what do you say? Let me help you get into the gang or not?"

"Duh," he grunts, a smirk on his face. "I've been waiting for a chance like this."

"Good."

Sai turns to leave, but just as he's about to, Sasuke stops him. "Hey… if I get in, could they help me track down the killer of my family?"

The artist's eyes return to his face, and there's a sub-tone to his words that gives Sasuke the chills. "Are you kidding? The Uchiha case has been personally saved for you. And it's a matter of when you get it, not if. The ANBU has been expecting you."

There was a pause as they both exit the bathroom, allowing someone else to enter. Right as the bell rings and the boys are about to go their separate ways, Sai adds:

"Oh, and Uchiha? Be weary of Kakashi Hatake. He does everything in his power to stop young people from joining the ANBU; or anyone for that matter."

o0o0o0o0o

Kakashi Hatake is an ex-ANBU op, and gladly so because of his best friend, Iruka (who finally convinced him to leave the damn gang). Tsunade and Jiraiya also helped save him from the gang and himself, acting as guardians for just about the entire school district. Both people being fairly old and coincidentally dating, Tsunade and Jiraiya have kept both gangs – the ANBU and the Akatsuki – in check for years. But they needed something else, something extra, to tip the scale for their side. And who else should come along but a young (23 at the time of his leave, though 30 at the moment) ex-operative with silver hair? So a plan was formed and precautions taken. Although not everything can be stopped. Specifically not Sasuke, or any Uchiha. Like Obito… another dear friend of Kakashi's, a partner in the ANBU with him, who was K.I.A. during an Akatsuki-related mission. He couldn't be stopped from trying to save Kakashi, even when Kakashi told him not to and to save himself.

Which leads to now, when Sasuke walked into his period of chemistry class, Kakashi staring daggers into the Uchiha's skull. He heard from a very reliable source that Sasuke had been conversing with Sai to join the ANBU. Not that the ANBU was worse than the Akatsuki, but Kakashi knew who was in the Akatsuki (like Sasuke's own brother) and how dangerous the "battles" (which is code for 'gang-bang shootings') between the two can be.

As soon as class ended, Kakashi looked sternly at Sasuke and – like Tsunade – laced his fingers together and leaned forward on his elbows on his desk, his mouth and chin covered. "Uchiha," he says with a sharper tone than usual. "Stay after class for a few minutes. I need to talk to you."

Sasuke looks up from what he had been doing (which was shoving his books into his bag as students filed out of the room), and gives the older man a confused look. "Huh? Oh, uh… sure. Whatever."

Kakashi seemed to hold his breath, wondering how to bring this up. Perhaps it was best to cut straight to the chase.

_Sai told me to be weary of him because he'll try to stop me from joining, but I don't care what Mr. Hatake says; I'm getting into the ANBU no matter what._ Slowly he paces to the front of the room, setting down his bag at the leg of the desk and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah?"

"I'm not going to beat it around the bush, Uchiha: I know that your brother is in the Akatsuki. I know that you're trying to rival him and get into the ANBU. But you're making a big mistake; people get killed in those gangs. People go insane from them. People get into drugs or become serial killers because of them. Do you want to be one of those people?" Kakashi informs the younger. But he appears to take no heed. The teacher sighs. "Fine. Join if you want to. But know that I'm the person who rises against both and tries to end it."

"Why? What does it matter to you? It's my own choice. And the ANBU actually does some good around this place!" Sasuke grumbles, his voice low and defensive.

Kakashi's eyes flash, even his partially blind right eye. It almost had a red sheen to it in this fluorescent lighting. "Because I used to be part of the ANBU and know what damage both sides can do."

Sasuke's face, for a brief moment, looks surprised, with light in his eyes and parted lips. But soon it fell stony and into a scowl. "So you're against your own team now, is that right? Traitor," he mutters coldly.

His sensei didn't appreciate that comment in the least. He snaps: "Hey, your cousin – my friend – died because he decided to play traitor to the ANBU and save my life. Same goes for your aunt and uncle; they weren't in a gang, but because they tried to save your parents' lives from the Akatsuki, they got killed. And where was the ANBU then, huh? Nowhere!" Kakashi takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He rarely got angry; normally he was a very carefree man, if not a bit forgetful. But when it came to his disturbing memories and the two mafias of Konoha, anger was the sole emotion it seems he can muster.

"They're better at serving justice than the police are," Sasuke retorts in a near-whisper. "The police didn't do squat to help me avenge my parents."

Kakashi smiled ironically. "Well, now I know your ANBU name-to-be: Sasuke the Avenger." He sighed again. "Go now. You're going to be late to class."

A thought occurred to the raven-haired teen as he lifted his bag from the floor to leave. "And I thought the Sound Academy was a weird school; everyone here is under cover, aren't they?"

Kakashi shakes his head. "Your friends aren't. But apparently, you're too lost in your emotions to see that. Honestly, Uchiha, you should focus less on getting into trouble and more on enjoying your last two years of high school with the people close to you."

But does he listen? No. Instead, he glances away and stands, walking out the chemistry lab door. He doesn't care; when Sasuke sets his mind to something, he really sets his mind to it. He was going to get into the ANBU with Sai's help. He was going to track down the killer of his family. And he was going to deliver the proper punishment for murder: _execution._

Though he should've obeyed Kakashi. A gang isn't worth it. **Friends are.**

o0o0o0o0o

Tuesday showed promise for Naruto. Promise, that is, for his goal of causing Gaara to open up and spill his secrets. You see, all the Language Arts classes of the junior and senior years were getting together in Coach Gai's gym for a communications activity. Tsunade's assistant, Shizune, was there to explain.

"The Drama Club is going to be holding auditions for a big upcoming play that they will be performing in front of the whole town in the auditorium at the community college! It'll be _Rent,_ which will surely be very emotional and intense. So, to get you all in the mood for public speaking and possibly trying out for a part, we decided to do some peer-interaction. To start off with, we think it'd be best to get everyone into groups by eye color. That should be interesting, right?" the dark-haired woman smiles sweetly.

Asuma blew a whistle. "Alright, munchkins, blue eyes over here, green eyes over here, brown eyes this way, black and grey eyes over in that corner, hazel this way, and miscellaneous eye colors to the other side of the gym. Let's get moving, people!"

The 'miscellaneous' eye color group seemed to frown. People like the Hyuuga cousins. Hinata and Neji had strangely colored eyes to say the least, and at first glance you might think that they were blind with the way their eyes seemed to frost over in a grey so light it looked lavender in the fluorescent bulbs. And then there were people like Sakura and Gaara whom didn't know if their eyes qualified as green or blue. With a shrug, those two in specific went to the random eye color group.

When everyone was seated on the floor in circles across the gym, one teacher went to each eye colored group to start off with. Kurenai came to sit beside Hinata, one of her favorite pupils because of her sweet, shy personality. "Hello all," she grins. "So. The first activity is to find someone in this group who you either don't know very well or has the most interesting eyes. Talk to them a little, and compliment them. Then find someone else. Go."

Gaara sat there, arms and legs crossed, not bothering to move. He didn't want to participate in all of this; just give him a script and the stage and he'll act. He doesn't need to practice public speaking skills when he knew how he can be in the bright lights of the theatre. Sure, he might not say much to anyone otherwise, but it was the acting for the play that counted, right?

Neji was suddenly in front of Gaara, a tiny smile on his lips. Gaara raised a brow muscle. "Yes?"

"I like your eyes. They contrast greatly with your hair," the Hyuuga says. He tilts his head slightly. "We've never talked before. Gaara Sabaku, correct?"

The younger boy nods to show that what Neji had guessed was the right name. "We never had a reason to," Gaara replies curtly. He didn't like the way Neji was looking at him. It was like being judged all over again.

"Well, my name's Neji, and I'm a senior." He holds out his hand, but obviously Gaara wasn't going to take it. He reels it back, never faltering. It looked almost as if he planned to have his handshake rejected. Very regal, actually. Especially with his height and long hair. "You going to audition for the play?"

"I always do. I'm in Drama," Gaara says lightly. He didn't care very much.

Neji nods, as if he expected as much from the redhead. "Personally, I prefer choir. I'd rather sing than act, but _Rent_ is a musical, so I thought I'd give it a try. Though my destiny is to sing; I'm sure of it."

The poet merely dips his head once, a sort of half-nod.

"Time's up! Move on to someone else now," Kurenai instructs.

Neji gets up, but as he does so, Gaara says quietly, "I also like your eyes. They are unusual." And with that, the Hyuuga smiles and leaves.

Sakura comes to sit in front of Gaara next. "Hey Resshin," she says.

"Do I know you?" he asks. He shouldn't be surprised that she knows his name; everyone knows Gaara's name. But how did she know his personal nickname?

In response to his question, the bubblegum pink-haired girl shakes her head. "No. I'm one of Naruto's friends; one of his _best_ friends," she adds, to show how she knew his nickname. She flashes a smile. "Hope you don't mind that I called you that."

"Actually, I do mind," Gaara retorts stiffly. Somehow, it only sounded right coming out of Naruto's mouth. Anyone else's and it was wrong.

"Oops! Sorry," Sakura giggles. She clears her throat afterwards. "Anyhow, I came over here because I wanted to talk to you about Naruto. You guys are friends now, right? That's good; I was hoping you two wouldn't stay enemies forever. And, um, I also wanted to make sure you were doing okay. Naruto told me about the funeral, and…" She drifts off. "I like your eye color and how it looks with all that black eyeliner," she says finally, unable to say much of anything else.

The redhead shrugs, glancing down at his shoes, which bore Jack Skellington's round face and the logo for Airwalk on the rubber sole of the canvas. _Why is she being this way? What does she care? Is it just because I'm one of Naruto recent friends, or was it because of some other reason? _

Sakura makes a face at his silence. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Gaara says quickly. He looks up hesitantly. "Your eyes remind me of green seaglass," he says suddenly, not sure why he said something so stupid. It was very unlike him.

She seems to flush in the smallest way, but it could be her makeup or a trick of the light. "Really, you think so? No one's ever said something like that in the past…" she beams. In all honesty, she had come to talk to Gaara and call him by the nickname all to see if he was softer on the inside than his cold outside like Naruto had said. Which he had mentioned the other day to her on the phone. And, evidently, the knuckleheaded blonde had been correct. "Well, looks like Kurenai is going into some other activity. See ya," Sakura says and stands with a bounce. And then she's off to her place in the circle.

"Alrighty then, time for something else we're going to switch out a few of our group with the brown-eyed and blue-eyed people, and them with ours. Now, how about we send Sabaku and Hyuuga – oh, pardon, I mean Hinata; forgot there were two of you here! – to the brown-eyed group. Who, I notice, lost Nara and gained Uzumaki."

_Naruto?_ Gaara thinks distantly, his stomach doing something odd in the pit of his gut. It felt like a roll…

Standing cautiously, Gaara makes his way over to the circle of brown-eyed people, finding Kiba and Naruto chatting. Thinking it only logical to sit beside someone he knew, Gaara comes to the empty space beside Naruto. Hinata does the same, although choosing the space beside her boyfriend, whom immediately smiles at her and takes her fragile hand.

Naruto turns as soon as Gaara's butt makes contact with the ground, and a grin of his own spreads across his face. "Hey Gaara! Guess you got stuck with us, huh?" he laughs. "See, Kiba? He ain't so bad. He doesn't even bite." The blonde says to the other. Clearly Kiba had said something jokingly negative about Gaara and Naruto was proving him wrong.

"Yeah, but he does grab wrists and take blood," Kiba chuckles in reply, referring to their chemistry lab all those weeks ago.

Hinata tugged on Kiba's sleeve. Kindly, it was her way of saying, 'stop it, what happened is in the past'.

The brunette looks to her and shrugs. "Yeah, you're right." His gaze returns to Gaara and he smiles more gently. "Sorry Gaara, I don't mean it. You're cool."

Gaara nods once, though it never bothered him to begin with. He cast his eyes to the teacher, whom was Mr. Sarutobi, and awaited the next round of instructions.

"Okie dokie, now it's time for some trust exercises. You'll have to work well with and trust others if you want to make it into a play or through college. You'll talk more in the other circles, but right now, it's falling time. So stand up, pick a partner, and fall into their arms. They'll catch you." The bearded man tells them, confidence in his voice.

But there seemed to be no confidence in Gaara's knees. He couldn't stand. Because he knew for a fact anyone would drop or refuse to catch him. He doesn't trust anyone, and no one trusts him; especially not to catch them when they're falling. And yet…

"Gaara," Naruto's sweet voice says in Gaara's ear with a simultaneous tap on the shoulder.

The redhead wheels around, blinking. "What?"

"Be my partner?" the other asks with a grin.

"…Wouldn't you rather be Inuzuka's?"

Naruto shakes his head. "Nope. He's with Hinata. You'd think Mr. Sarutobi wouldn't let them be partners since they've been dating for a while, but no, it looks like Hinata doesn't quite 'trust' Kiba yet." And he laughs, making Gaara stare at him, dumbfounded. "Anyway, will you be my partner or not? I trust you to catch me, even if I was kinda cold to you all those years." He scratches the back of his head apologetically.

"Er… fine," Gaara mutters in agreement, opening his arms to the 'catch' position. Naruto eagerly takes a step back and turns around.

"On my count!" the teacher says, toothpick in between his teeth. "And one… two… three… FALL!"

Naruto rocks back on his heels, temporarily feeling the rush of air in his hair and the sickening flip of his stomach as he falls backwards, his eyes closed tightly. And then he makes contact with Gaara's warm body, their arms linking at the elbows and the top of the blonde's head grazing a firmly built (yet faintly soft) chest. Naruto blushes profusely, staring up into Gaara's eyes, taking comfort in the fact that Mr. Reserved-All-The-Time was also tinted faintly pink in the cheeks. "Thanks," the caught teen murmurs to the catcher.

"I wouldn't drop you," Gaara reassures quietly. Mentally he kicked himself for saying anything. He pushes upwards with his arms to get Naruto to stand.

When the blonde finally does, grinning like an idiot, Asuma calls out: "Now switch!"

Gaara hesitates, glancing nervously at Naruto and the teacher. Human contact is not one of Gaara's strong suits. Neither is trusting someone. But would Naruto really drop him? The old Naruto might, but… now…

"One… two… three… FALL!"

Giving up with his inner battle, Gaara turns himself around and spreads out his arms and closes his eyes, trying not to think about his drumming heart behind his rib cage or the possibility of optical lobe meeting polished hardwood flooring.

In seconds the fall was over, but in the process of falling Gaara had been too close, ultimately knocking Naruto to the ground, lying right on top of him. Luckily for the two, they were both facing the same way, which meant no noses touching, no heated breathing, and no accidental kissing. Instead, Naruto got a face full of crimson locks and a ache in his tailbone while Gaara got peculiarly perched between a pair of legs and elbows holding him up on either side of Naruto's torso.

"Oops," Naruto chuckles weakly, his voice right behind Gaara's left ear. "Looks like we were too close together. Sure, you're shorter than me, but not by that much, Gaara! Heh heh… Here, let me up," he grunts at the end, shifting underneath Gaara, attempting to roll them over.

"Are you two alright?" Asuma asks, bending over them to lend Gaara a hand. The redhead ignores it and stands by himself, inching away from Naruto as the teacher lifts him to his feet.

"Yeah, we're fine, Mr. Sarutobi! Just an accident." Naruto tells the teacher. He looks to Gaara, still grinning stupidly.

The earthquake didn't appreciate that grin. It was like, by falling on him, Gaara gave something to Naruto he didn't mean to give. And in this case, it was a sign of his vulnerability, and what it feels like to touch **all** of Gaara (not just a bump on the arm or tap of the shoulder). He felt thoroughly embarrassed now, a feeling relatively new to the redhead. Oh, how he cursed this school and it's peer activities.

Naruto was doing the opposite of cursing, however. Quite frankly, he was enjoying this greatly. Especially now that he's sure of his developing sediments towards Gaara (despite the other boy's strange mannerisms and lack of general emotion).

Gaara, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. Why did Naruto keep doing this to him? At the funeral the other day, he had been close, **much too close**, and at the time it had made him… nervous. Somehow, he was reluctant to allow Naruto inside, and yet he had partially done so by now. _What if things turn out wrong like they had with Yashamaru?_ Gaara thinks negatively. _I don't think Naruto would betray me in such a way, but you never know. And what if… no, that's preposterous. He doesn't like me in that way; no one who truly knows me ever has. But sometimes he makes me wonder with the way he smiles at me and talks to me; it's almost as if he's waiting for me to accept him and tell him everything, or… what? For me to develop feelings for him as well? Impossible. I have long since deserted the part of my heart that can love. Why else get this tattoo? It reminds me not to do it again. It reminds me not to care for others._

It was then that Gaara realized the events were dropping into place like puzzle pieces too perfectly. So he left. He asked to be pardoned to the bathroom, but really the straight-A student was ditching school for the rest of the day. Who needs social abilities, anyway? He can act. And he'll get into that play. Without Naruto's help. Then again, how is it help when all he did was fall on the boy?

The real problem that Gaara would never admit to himself was that the blonde was etched into his heart and memory. Not deeply, mind you, but deep enough to be blurring the lines between 'friend', 'best friend', and 'crush'. Which left Resshin confused. Confused as to which of those he wanted Naruto to be, which of these Naruto is, and which he could never be. And, almost unfortunately, Gaara was sure Naruto could never be his 'best friend'. But a friend or a first love? Possible. And the latter terrified him.

o0o0o0o0o

"Where the hell are you taking me, Sai?!" Sasuke barked late Wednesday night. It was about 10:00, though the clock hasn't struck it exactly yet. Sasuke had gotten another job, and his first had ended just a half hour ago. Sai had been waiting outside the store; which, yes, Sasuke works at again. No, not Kohl's again, but a similar place: JC Penny. Another girly store, this time at the mall hours away, which is why Sai had been waiting for him. The pale artist had mentioned something about it being the perfect job, because 'something important is nearby'. What it was Sasuke had no clue, but he went with the flow and followed Sai, although he got blindfolded at one point. Sasuke detested blindfolds. Sai wasn't going to do anything inappropriate, now, was he?

Suddenly, Sai stopped. He removed Sasuke's blindfold, gesturing before him a large, rusty metal door of an abandoned warehouse. "Welcome," Sai says monotonously, "To the ANBU Base of Operations."

Sasuke's mouth fell agape as they knocked three times and – as a pair of eyes appeared from behind a sliding slit in the metal door – were allowed inside.

The place was bumpin'. It reminded the youngest Uchiha of a night club. There was some music and plenty of odd-colored lights and lots of bright, funky furniture and vending machines. You could hardly tell that it was a warehouse anymore.

As they walked through the warehouse, Sasuke grew less and less sure of himself. He had thought everything would look serious and sleek like spies from the CIA or something. But instead, it was a bunch of young people (between ages 14 and 35) dancing around and chatting idly. But they all wore handguns of different kinds; and showed them off proudly.

"Hey Hidori; how'd your mission go?" Sai asks suddenly to a man – about 24 – who came up beside them on their path.

"Not so good, Sai; Meika got shot in the arm. A graze from a bullet, but it's a pretty big gash. Damn Deidara shot 'im, him and his action-figure-making bastard of a partner, Sasori. Tch. It wouldn't have happened if we went after Kisame and Itachi; those two are easy pickings. But Saso and Dei? They're hardcore. Nearly got the shit kicked outta me by Sasori." The older man replied, shaking his head. Meika, apparently, was a girl; about 26 and a good shot with a crossbow rather than a gun. She had been able to wound Deidara but not do anything else.

Sai nodded and parted from Hidori, and tugged at Sasuke's sleeve for him to follow. "I heard my brother's name." he says flatly.

"Of 'course. He's part of the Akatsuki. You knew that, right?" Sai responds.

Sasuke nods dully. "Yeah. But it's still weird to hear, knowing I'm about to join the opposing force."

"You're doing the right thing," Sai assures. "We're not called the secret police for nothing. Some like to lower our standards and just call us hooligans or the underground police, but we're much more than that. Sure, our base looks more like a hangout than anything else, but here is where all the serious stuff goes down. At 11:00 every night, we gather together in the meeting room and converse, get assigned our next missions, and choose punishments for whoever we've brought in as prisoner. This is a hangout, sure, but it's also a courtroom and a jail. And we dish out little to no mercy."

By the time Sai's little speech was finished, Sasuke found himself outside the doors of what looked like the leader's office.

"And now, Sasuke Uchiha, you'll meet alone with our Chief and receive your first mission." Sai states coolly, his signature false smile making it onto his face.

"Whoa, wait, my first mission? You mean I'm already in the ANBU?" Sasuke asks, his voice rising in anticipation and his eyebrow following suit.

Sai shakes his head. "No, not yet. But if you complete your mission… then you will be."


	24. Chapter 23: A Date to Remember

Chapter 23: A Date to Remember

"WHAT?! No! _Hell _no! I won't do it! You're insane!" Sasuke barked, his eyes flashing as he spoke with the 'chief' of the ANBU.

The older man crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "You have no say in the matter, Mr. Uchiha. If you want to be in this organization, then you have to go back home and confront your brother. We need to get to Sasori, and a means of getting to him is through another member of the Akatsuki who doesn't respect him as much as someone like Deidara or Tobi. We tried your old headmaster, Orochimaru, but he somehow escaped the Akatsuki and kept his life. So now we just need –"

"Hey, hey, slow down a second! Mind telling me what the fuck you just said? My Sound Academy headmaster used to be part of the Akatsuki?! What the hell! And why do you need to get to that redheaded shortie? He's just some ex-action figure maker." Sasuke argued, also crossing his arms. His patience is wearing terribly thin.

The Chief sighed. "Sasori may be placing weapons or bombs of some sort in his action figures, which causes a bit of a problem for anyone who buys them. We traced a few people, one of them being a brother of a schoolmate of yours… Kankurou Sabaku."

Sasuke grit his teeth. Why did Gaara and everything related to him have to be mentioned in front of Sasuke? It was getting rather annoying. He wanted to set fire to the next person who mentioned anything with the name 'Sabaku' in it. _Perhaps a barrage of fireballs from a flamethrower would do the trick…_

"And as for your headmaster… who knows? All I know if that he was in the gang but somehow got out of it." The older man stared coldly at the teen. "Now, will you carry out your mission or not?"

Sasuke grunted and shrugged his shoulders, a nonchalant response. "I don't see why I can't do a drive-by shooting like any other gang."

The Chief grins. "That's because we're no ordinary gang; we're an organization like the CIA or FBI, tracing crimes, gathering information, and training the most elite of assassins. We're the secret police, not a mindset-to-rule-the-world type of mafia like the Akatsuki." He leans forward, his breath hitting Sasuke right in the face. Sasuke grimaces at the sour scent of it. "And you best remember that."

The raven-haired teen shrinks back in his chair and uncrosses his arms to clench his fists. "Fine, I'll play along. I'll tell my brother about running away and going back to school and all that jazz. If getting on his good side and making him think I have an interest in joining the Akatsuki gets me into this group, then I'll do it." He pauses, a light version of his signature smirk reaching the corners of his mouth. "As long as you swear to help me get the scoop on my deceased family when this mission's over with, that is. I want it in fucking writing, you hear me? A contract or something. The second I'm accepted into this place, I want to lead the investigation on the Uchiha case."

The Chief nods solemnly and extends his hand. "You got yourself a deal, little man. You have until the first Monday of next month to get information on Sasori and such."

And with one shake of the wrist Sasuke Uchiha set his fate into motion.

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke decided it was best not to complete his mission until after his date Friday with Ino, so that his brother couldn't interfere. And, deciding it would make her too jealous, Ino didn't take Sakura to the mall with her to pick out the perfect outfit and do her hair for Friday. But Sakura was fine with this; she knew all about the date and quite frankly didn't want to help her friend pick out things for a date she knew she should have.

"Seriously, what does Ino have that I don't?" Sakura complained with a pout on her face to Naruto.

The blonde shrugged as he twirled in her desk chair. He was over at her house this Thursday, doing their usual movie night. Despite what everyone else thinks and with his tiny old crush on her aside, Naruto and Sakura were best friends and practically siblings. Sakura's mother had said once that Naruto was always invited to their house, so even now he carried a spare key so that no matter what, he could be there for Sakura, and vice versa.

"I dunno. More like: what did Ino have that made him change his mind about me? I mean, I thought the guy was going to hold a grudge and crush forever, you know?"

Sakura contemplated this as she played with a lock of her hair, the two of them half paying attention to the movie in front of them. Although most of their attention is currently centering on this conversation. "You have a point there." She leans back onto Naruto's lap, since he had brought her desk chair to the side of her bed to view the TV on her dresser better. "Sasuke is one to hold grudges. But I still don't understand what suddenly brought this on… I mean, if anything, you'd think he had good taste in girls!" She was of 'course kidding, because Ino was her best girl friend since they were basically learning to walk.

Naruto chuckles. "Nah, I knew he wouldn't. I mean, for him to pick a guy like me and ignore someone as magnificent as you," he says playfully, tickling her side.

Sakura giggles and shoves his hands away. "You big flirt," she teases right back. Then a devious smile flashes to show her teeth. "But you're so right; I mean, who in their right mind would choose you over little ol' me?" She even added a southern-American accent to her voice at 'over little ol' me' to be cute. It worked; Naruto laughed all over again.

"Well, if I'm lucky, a certain someone will…" he hints, casting his blue eyes down at the girl in his lap.

Sakura shot up, propping her hands on his knees for a moment to push herself into sitting position on her tiny twin-sized bed. "I knew it! I knew you'd fall for him! I'm not wrong, am I? You fell for your e-pal!" Her voice turned sing-song at the end, while her pointer finger swirled in the air to make fun of the blush slowly creeping onto Naruto's face.

He smiles. "Damn, you caught me!"

Sakura can't help but to laugh and bounce up and down on her knees. "I knew it, I just _knew_ it! –"

"So you've said."

"– And you know what?"

"What?"

"I approve."

"As if I need your approval," the blonde snorts, though a smile is in place. He watches part of the movie for a second as he feels Sakura analyze him.

"He really is a good guy, though. As a person deep down, under that deadpan face. Know what he said to me?"

"You'll tell me even if I don't ask."

Sakura grins. "He said my eyes look like green seaglass. Isn't that poetic? And so totally sweet, too. I mean, I bet he felt like he had to say something since we were all complimenting one another because of that exercise, but it was sweet nonetheless."

Naruto nodded. A frown crosses his features. "But he ditched school after he fell on me during that trust exercise. Do you think I embarrassed him? I tried to call him, but maybe he got another job because he didn't pick up."

"Aww, my Naru is all stressed out about this," Sakura says in a tone normally used for sarcasm or towards a toddler. In this case, it was like speaking to a toddler. "Here, let Sakura-chan help: e-mail him or talk to him tomorrow in Chemistry. M'kay?"

"M'kay."

They finished up their movie, though they hardly understood what had been happening throughout the entire thing. It wasn't that important, just the film 'Superbad'. Which is a comedic, sexual movie that doesn't need much attention.

The part near the end where Seth and Evan say that they love each other (while drunk) made the two friends burst out laughing. It even made Naruto turn to Sakura and coo, "I wuv you, Sakurwa!"

"Aw, I wuv you too, Narwu," she returns, although she was giggling far too much to be understood properly. She leans in and plants a kiss on his cheek for no real reason, though the strange friendship-feel from that scene in the movie might've been part of it. He doesn't say anything, merely laughs. It's a friend-kiss, and he knows that. Sakura gave them all the time, even to Ino and other boys (and girls) at school. It was just something Sakura did when she wasn't hitting you. She was almost bipolar, though she insisted the hitting mainly came from PMS. Which was true. "Hey, Naruto, now that the movie's done, let's take a walk. I want to get rid of all those Milk Duds I ate," she suggests.

"Sure, I could go for a walk around the block," he agrees, helping pull her to her feet. She winces and stomps her foot a few times. The blonde's brows come together. "What's the matter?"

"My foot fell asleep! I think I was sitting on it," she hisses as tingling pain shoots up her calf.

As soon as they were out the door, Naruto slung his arms behind his head to clasp at the base of his neck and he took in a deep breath of the night air. It was moist in a non-humid way, and smelled like wet, rotting leaves. He loved that smell. And the cool temperature of the air in his lungs was very refreshing.

"I love walking at night," Sakura hums sleepily as she walks at a lazy pace. Naruto was a few steps behind her, walking even lazier. Then again, she had much slimmer, longer legs and took bigger strides. She was the type of girl who accepted herself and held herself high, without being snooty. Naruto, on the other hand… well, he could get self-conscious at times and tended to hold himself lower than his pink-haired gal pal.

"Me too. It's soothing. Although with your over-protective mother, you're only allowed out after dark if I'm with you, ain't that right?" Naruto teases.

Sakura sighs. "Actually, you are. I can only be out at night if I'm in a group or with a guy. Mom won't even let me walk that far away during the day unless I have my cell phone. But, I mean, I'm seventeen years old! What does she think is going to happen? I'm not nine years old anymore, I can handle myself. And I know all kinds of self-defense moves to kick any sexual predator's ass," she winks.

"I know that for a fact," Naruto grumbles, rubbing a bruise through his black-and-orange jacket that Sakura had given him last week for some thing or another. She laughs at the gesture.

"But, seriously: Mom is super protective. It's okay, I like her that way, since it shows that she cares. Some parents don't."

"Like Gaara's dad," Naruto says so lowly that Sakura had to pause in her steps to turn around and ask him what he had said. "Oh, um, nothing! Just that I'm glad my dad cares, too!"

"You mean your uncle?"

Naruto shrugs. "He feels more like a dad to me. Kyuubi pretty much raised me, even if he's hardly related to me. My mom's half-brother…" He shrugs again. "Which reminds me: ever since the funeral, Gaara's uncle Shukaku has been calling or coming to our house on one occasion. He's, like, clinging to my dad. I guess their friendship is back on after God knows how many years. I think they haven't seen each other since college, and now that Shukaku's (he lets me call him that; he says 'Mr.' makes him feel old,) little brother died, he's been all depressed and hanging around my dad. It's kinda weird."

"That is weird…" Sakura frowns, beginning to walk once more. Naruto's feet fall in step with hers, and they walk side by side. "But hey, maybe you can use this to your advantage! Maybe if the two of them get together more often, you can meet up with Gaara just as often," she grins, making it off to be the cleverest idea in history.

Naruto shakes his head. "I doubt it'll work the way you're thinking, Sakura. Besides, it's not like I'm dying to see Gaara ever second of the day or anything. I'm not… you know… in love with him."

"**Yet**," she emphasizes, taking a piece of Double Bubble bubblegum out of her pocket and strolling ahead as she placed the pink roll on her tongue. She sounded utterly smug with her girl-knowledge of things of this subject. It almost made Naruto resent being male. _Almost._

"Must you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Have the last word and always insist it to be _'yet'_." Naruto grumbles, kicking an empty pop can he found on the side of the road. "It's not like I'm going to be head over heels for the guy."

"You might be one day, if you get closer to him," Sakura smiles softly, all teasing gone from her tone.

"I going to kick this can at your head," Naruto threatens.

Sakura frowns at him, popping a sharp bubble of her gum. "You'll see. I'll be right. And who knows? Maybe he'll be 'head over heels' for you, too."

"Tch, as if. Gaara's not really the type…"

"Says who?"

"Says him! Sakura, he's been through a lot, so I don't think he'll ever…" but the hurricane can't finish. His sentence died in his throat.

"Ever what? Like someone like you? Naruto, I know earlier you were messing around about Sasuke, but he actually has every reason to have liked you. Which is why I have my doubts about him changing his mind so easily. I don't know about you, but something about his date with Ino doesn't smell right. I just hope she doesn't get hurt in the end." Sakura sighs and pops her gum gently, sucking it inwards instead of blowing outwards.

"I don't even know his orientation, Sakura. Gaara's, I mean. What if he's strictly straight and doesn't want anything to do with me in that way?"

"Or what if he's asexual and just doesn't want to have to deal with anyone at all?" Sakura offers. "Or what if he's bisexual and doesn't care either way? Or what if he's confused, and you'll be the one to help him make up his mind? You never know, Naruto; he could be gayer than anyone we've met, or he could be something else entirely. Why don't you just ask him?" Her arguments were always flawless. Like Tsunade, only less pushy. Makes sense that they're grandmother and granddaughter.

An extreme blush is seen in the light of the streetlights. "Wh-what?! I-I can't ask him something like th-_that_!!"

Sakura smiles to herself. "Man, I sure do love moments like this. We should converse this way more often, Naruto."

"Sakura, this isn't funny!" he snaps, pointing an accusing finger at her. "You're… you're… gahh, you're so infuriating!"

"Then I've done my job."

"I **really** want to kick this can at your head now."

"Let's see you try, Foxy-kun."

So he did. And he missed by a good seven inches. It didn't even go higher than her elbow. "Niiice."

Naruto stuffs his hands in his pockets for warmth and out of shame at his lame kick. "Shut up, Pinky."

Cue a punch in the arm. "Don't call me that!"

"Then dye your hair!" he retorts, sticking out his tongue.

Another punch, as to be expected. As is the bite he made in his tongue from the sudden pain of the strike. "Wahh! Sakura, why are you so mean to me?"

"Because you deserve it."

"That's hardly fair."

"Neither is life, so deal with it."

There a pause and the buzz of the night could be heard, including the sounds of Konoha's city streets. Then, with a childish grin, Naruto poses: "Race you to 7Eleven."

Sakura smirks. "Last one there pays for slushies."

"You're on!"

o0o0o0o0o

Friday came quickly, and Naruto was bushed from staying up a tad later than usual with Sakura last night. They had gone for a slushie-drinking contest, all blue raspberry and all extremely freezing cold. Surprisingly there was no brain freeze, though there was puking of the blue sugary gunk at 3:00 in the morning. Naruto did not enjoy that, and distantly wondered if Sakura had thrown up, too. Which was another reason why he was so tired: he had been awake after sleeping for a few hours.

But he remembers dreaming… of birds. Only, instead of a canary-type of bird, he has been a gold finch. Gaara had still been the cardinal-like bird, although he wasn't named Resshin this time. He was his proper name, though they still called one another by their nicknames occasionally. He doesn't remember what had occurred in the dreams, be he remembers a kiss. Warm and light and tender, supple in form but fierce in flavor. It had tasted like cinnamon. Cooler, though, almost minty. Because the two birds had kissed, beak-to-beak, but had died and were reborn still locked in that kiss. It was an odd dream, because other things happened, Naruto knew, but he couldn't recall what was said or done besides that.

Walking in a daze, Naruto stumbled into Chemistry class after lunch and sat next to an empty seat. Gaara wasn't here yet? Is that possible? He's always here first… was he absent? What for?

No, apparently he wasn't absent, for he came bustling into the classroom a few minutes later (although not with Kakashi. That man is always the last one into the room). 'Bustling' being a word used correctly, even if it's a word hardly used to describe Gaara's actions. He seemed much more… active than usual, and on his usually emotionless face was a frown permanently etched into his forehead.

Naruto makes a frown of his own as Gaara plunks into his seat. _What's up with him?_ "Hey, Gaara, you feeling okay?"

"No." comes the immediate, grumpy response.

The blonde blinks a few times. He scratches his head. "Er, anything I can do to help?"

"Yes: quit asking me questions."

The Uzumaki boy looked taken aback, and he was just about to explain to the redhead that being rude to your friends is 'totally un-cool', but stopped himself as the teacher walked in and he watched as Gaara's face wiped clean of emotion and he sat up straighter. It was like putting on an act for the sake of his elders. _He really is an actor, isn't he? And he's damn good at it. _Naruto thought briefly.

Truth is, Gaara was feeling terribly confused. Every part of his body was screaming out for order, at least for an order over his thoughts and emotions. A bit OCD, possibly, but Gaara just wasn't used to all the confusion, and it was making him angry. He wanted to thrash out and demand explanations for the strange things running through his mind, heart, and dreams. Sure, for the time being his uncle Shukaku and Temari were living with him (Kankurou wanting to be alone and move on to the next semester of his junior college), but they can't help. Temari would like to think so, but Gaara didn't want a girl's advice, and he wasn't very close to anyone, least of all his uncle, so he wouldn't ask him, either. It seemed he was at a loss, because even though he now had a friend to turn to for things like this, it was the wrong person; because Naruto was the source of the problem.

You see, Gaara was confused by his dream last night. And confused about his reaction to it. And he was confused about what sort of havoc his thoughts were wreaking from that retarded trust exercise.

In the dream, he had kissed Naruto. On the mouth. And _deeply_. And he had _liked_ it. Not to mention it sent shivers down his spine and sent his heart into a race against how many beats it could make in one second. Or how it had made his stomach flip over once or twice at the odd thought of what else he could kiss besides Naruto's mouth. The dream-Naruto, that is, but Naruto nonetheless. And when he had woken up, he was terrified of those feelings and those thoughts. They were definitely not normal, especially for him. What on God's green Earth had made him dream and think of such things? What is it about the ditzy blonde that sucked him in? Why did he feel so drawn to the other teen? Was it his looks? His jokes? His smile? His laugh? His manner of being optimistic, friendly, or something else of the like?

_Just what is it about the Uzumaki kid that is so appealing to me? _Gaara questioned as the teacher assigned another partner project. This time for solely today, the redhead realized with merit. Still, that question to himself lingered in his mind, and he let his eyes wander to gaze at the blonde and repeat the question. _What about him is it? We are opposites in most every way, yet I am compelled to him. It started long before that e-mailing project, I know that much. It's like we are the poles, him being the lively southern tip and me being the deserted northern. North and South… like magnets. We are magnets. But I'm not so sure I want to be magnetically attracted to Naruto. Or attracted to him at all. And yet I am! Why is that? Why is he so… alluring? It must be his cheerful aura. Though there is plenty of sadness laced into it, which is oddly comforting. It shows hat he can understand my own pains. But… _

"Jeez Gaara, if you keep staring at me like that I'm going to have to wear a paper bag over my face." Naruto chuckles nervously.

The sound of Naruto's voice snaps Gaara out of his trance and he turns his head away, casting his eyes to the tabletop. He faintly traces a scratching of two names inside a heart on the surface. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. Now, about this activity…" Without needing to recap he instructions written on the board, Gaara sees what needs to be done and gets to work.

Beside him, Naruto picks up a pen and some paper and begins recording the data. However, that doesn't mean he can't multitask. "Gaara… what's up with you today? You're moodier than usual. And I won't lie to you, it felt weird when you just stared at me like that. What were you looking at, anyway? Do I have something on my face?"

He doesn't answer. Gaara stays silent, his hands idly working on the chemicals in front of him.

Naruto sighs. "Look, if I did something wrong, _tell me_, okay? Friends are supposed to be honest with each other." He points his pencil in Gaara's direction as if scolding the other boy for not being honest. "I mean, if it has something to do with that whole Junior-Senior interacting thing earlier this week, you can tell me, I hope you know." Not quite how he wanted to bring up the issue, but Sakura told him to, so he did. At least he could say he tried.

"It's nothing." Gaara lies. It was everything, but he wasn't about to tell Naruto that. Nor was he about to tell the blonde how much that little fall the other day had affected him. And definitely not about his dream last night. Who knows, maybe Naruto had the same dream like they have in the past with those bird representations of themselves. Gaara feared this most, because what if that dream gave Naruto ideas? What if he were to suddenly kiss Gaara one day? The redhead got goosebumps at the mere thought of that possibility.

"Gaara," Naruto says in a tone that clearly meant, 'oh come on, I'm not that much of a dunce'.

"I'm not lying. It's nothing at all." _Actually, that was two lies at once, but Naruto doesn't need to know that. _

The other shakes his head. Softly, he says: "Resshin…"

"Don't," Gaara warns, and he turns in his chair so he can focus harder on his task and not on his e-pal.

"It's not your dad, is it?"

The redhead sighs through his nose irritably. "No."

"Then is it the stress of that play coming up?"

Finally, something Gaara can lie about with ease. "Yes, in fact."

"Ah, don't worry! You'll make it in no problem. So long as you can sing, you'll get a good part for sure." Naruto grins, though Gaara doesn't look. He doesn't want to find out what that smile can do to him. The tone was enough.

"I can sing." The redhead grumbles in response.

"Then you have nothing to stress over! I'll even come and watch you audition."

For some reason, that idea didn't sit well with Gaara. "No."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Just… no."

Naruto's eyebrows meet one another. "Come on Gaara, let me watch! I swear I won't say anything or clap or make a sound! I'll just be a random face in the audience, you'll hardly notice I'm there. Please?"

Unexplained panic rose in Gaara's chest. Have Naruto there to see him pour his held-back emotions out through song and some character's lines? No! That didn't feel right. He didn't want Naruto to see that much, at least not that soon. The auditions were next week, right after school on Tuesday. "N-no," he repeats, though this time swallowing as he started and ended the word, making it sound like he had stuttered.

Naruto's face falls into a pout that Gaara doesn't look to see. "Fine, be that way." Secretly, he was already planning on showing up anyhow, though he won't be in the audience. Instead, he'll sneak backstage. He wouldn't be able to watch Gaara that way, but at least he'll be able to hear him. And hearing him is all Naruto really wants to do. He loves the sound of Gaara's voice, always has, even when they were enemies. It had been one of his attributes that Naruto had envied. It was such a sleek, deep voice; calming and yet threatening. A rich voice that no one's except Sasuke's could compare to. And even Sasuke's didn't have the same ring to it.

"Well then, since you won't let me come watch you perform, can we at least hang out this weekend? I've been bored off my ass… Aside from last night, that is. Sakura and I hung out for a bit, but I wanna do something with _you_." Naruto offers, glancing sideways at Gaara. He tried to keep himself from grinning too broadly.

The poet freezes, his mind drawing a blank for a few milliseconds. Naruto wants to do something with him? …_Alone_? Like that one day he came to Gaara's house… Gaara gulped, somehow feeling weak and sick at the thought. His heart began to beat a bit faster. "Like what?" he manages.

"Hmm, not sure." The blonde pauses to tap his pencil eraser against his chin. "Wait, I know! We never got to play pool together. Let's meet tomorrow night at the arcade, say around 4:00-ish? We can have pizza and pop and play pool until our fingers are glued to the cue sticks!" And he laughs, but Gaara isn't comforted by the laugh. Instead it makes him fidget in his seat.

"Um, sure, let's play billiards tomorrow." He agrees, knowing better than to turn down someone as persistent as Naruto.

"Great!" Naruto grins, his blue eyes lighting up in a way that makes Gaara want to smile, too.

His spirits fall, however, when he realizes what his recently growing feelings towards Naruto could mean. And now a 'date' with the other? Oh, the things Gaara gets himself into…

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke coughed into his hand as he stood in front of Ino's front door, the brass knocker shaped like a boar's head with a ring in it's nose. Kinda weird. But then again, they had an old house.

The door swings open after a moment since he rang the bell, and Ino's father's face appears. He smiles, though it looks forced. "Come in, Uchiha."

"Thank you, Sir," he mutters in reply and steps inside. He twirls the single rose he had bought, though it wasn't red, or pink, or coral; which would've meant passion/love, a crush, or desire. He wondered if Ino would catch the meaning of the color. The single bloom was yellow. Friendship, nothing more. He didn't want to give Ino the wrong impression with any other color of rose, though he wanted to be polite and make it seem like he was serious by giving her one. So here he was, left holding a thornless golden blossom made of velvet petals. The shade reminded him of Naruto's hair. Sasuke sighed, vaguely wondering if all of this was even worth it. Maybe he should try and like girls, or at least a different boy than his best friend. Things would be much less complicated that way.

"Sasuke!" Ino's voice said in a breathless, lighthearted tone as she came down the stairs from her bedroom. Despite his feelings for Naruto, Sasuke had to admit that she was dressed pretty freaking amazingly. Her hair was up in it's usual ponytail, though the fair hair cascading down from it was spiral-curled. Her bangs were pulled back and held by sparkling butterfly barrettes, both silver and accenting her oceanic eyes wonderfully. She was clad in a complimentary two-piece outfit, the colors of the pattered mid-thigh-length skirt contrasting nicely with the solid shirt-and-mini-jacket top.

"Hey Ino. Ready to go?"

"In a minute," she says sweetly, nodding once to him before disappearing into the living room around the corner. He heard mutters, and the sound of a kiss, and guessed it was Ino talking to her mother and saying goodbye.

When she returns, Sasuke holds out the rose. He doesn't need to make it a big gesture or say a word. Ino lights up like a Christmas tree at the sight of it, and takes it greatefully into her hands.

"Ooh, that's so sweet of you! Here, let me put this in some water…" And she does so, hurrying into the kitchen for a moment.

"Remember, 12:00!" her father warns as Ino comes back into the entrance way, purse in hand and an extra-large smile in place.

"I know, Daddy," she replies with a roll of her eyes. "Now let's go, Sasuke!" There were practically hearts fluttering around her at the sound of his name. It nearly made Sasuke sick. What is this, some cheesy anime?

The door slams shut behind them, and they were on their way. They got into Sasuke's car and headed for a dinner spot Sasuke knew she liked: Olive Garden. Afterwards, he planned to take her to a rave he knew she liked. Some dancing could do some good. Plus, you never know who you'll see there; he was hoping someone from school to spread the word around. His earlier conflicted feelings forgotten, Sasuke was once again determined to make Naruto jealous. And what better than to have a too-true rumor passed around the school about Sasuke grind-dancing with Ino?

As soon as he pulled into the restaurant's parking lot, he heard Ino let out a squeak that resembled a joyful squeal. "How did you know I love Olive Garden?! Man, I haven't been here in ages! Ooh, I can't wait to see what they might've added to the menu…"

Sasuke smiled vaguely, glad to see at least he wasn't bad at dates. Maybe he could even have a nice time with Ino. Though he'd prefer Sakura if he had to go out with a girl, since at least Sakura has some insightful conversation. Plus, she's more his type: rugged. Ino is… girly. Easily pissed off like Sakura, though a wimp. She preferred malls to fishing, which happened to be one of Sakura old favorite things. If anything, he should've asked Sakura out to make Naruto jealous. But he knew Sakura would figure out his scheme and kick his ass, so he didn't bother.

"I just heard from a little birdie that you liked Italian food, and thought I'd drag you here. Obviously I chose well," Sasuke remarks as he opens Ino's passenger door. He could be a gentleman when he wanted to.

Ino grins at the gesture and steps out of the car, her shoes tapping the pavement. She takes Sasuke's hand for balance as she pulls herself up, promptly falling in step beside him as they pace up to the front doors. The scents of garlic, bread, tomatoes, basil and oregano fill the couple's noses as the doors swing open and they wander inside to a smiling waitress waiting to seat them.

"Uchiha for two at 5:30," Sasuke says formally, having made reservations. He hated it when no one could seat him right away. He gets impatient, not to mention hungry. Sitting and waiting was most certainly not his style.

The waitress glances behind a podium at a list and nods with a smile. "Right over here, Sir," she says gently. He notices her messy bun and lack of makeup, thinking this brunette to not be very into her job. Also, he spotted holes going up hr ears, meaning she must've had lots of piercings some time ago, or still does but doesn't wear them to work. "Here we are, table for two. Would you like fresh breadsticks?"

"Of 'course!" Ino pipes up before her raven-haired date can say anything. The waitress nods and heads off to fetch said food item while Sasuke removes Ino's coat and drapes it over the back of a chair he pulled out for her. The blonde giggles. "Wow, Sasuke, you're so polite. Way more polite than any other guys I've dated."

"Like who?" he inquires with a smirk before sitting down across form her.

"Like Sai, or Shikamaru, or this guy I met in Suna when I vacationed there… Shikamaru was a setup, just so you know. A blind double date kind of thing. We went with Neji and TenTen, back when the two first started dating. TenTen insisted, and you know how persuasive she is," Ino rambled, and Sasuke nodded occasionally as if he were listening. Which he half was. "Uhg, Sai was a total waste of time. The guy's boring and rude. Hot, but boring and rude. The guy from Suna wasn't so bad, though; he at least paid for everything and took me somewhere semi-decent." She pauses to sip the water near her plate. "Anyway, enough about my love life. What about yours, Sasuke? Was there anyone interesting at that boarding school? And if you don't mind my asking, what made you ask me out besides all that smooth talk?" A sort of grin that only girls could give was displayed on her lips right about now, and she was staring through her mascara-decorated lashes.

Sasuke smirks. "Nah, no one remotely interesting at that boarding school. And anyone who was wasn't for me; they were already taken by long-distance girlfriends or secretly some other guy at the school. It's an all-boys kind, if you remember." She nods, and he continues: "And as for you? Well, Ino, I've always found you attractive… the only thing that had held me back was my own stupidity." Girls liked it when guys admitted to being stupid, especially when it concerned them. In this situation, he was making it sound like he had been stupid for falling in love with Naruto and not Ino. Which may be half true; he was foolish to fall for his best friend when he knew that friend couldn't return his feelings.

"Really?" Ino purred, leaning forward on her elbows. "I've always found you devilishly handsome, so I guess we're even."

"Guess so," Sasuke comments as the waitress arrives with their breadsticks.

"Are you ready to order?" she asks, her hand running over her messy bun for a moment.

"Not yet," Ino says. She takes out the menu and opens it, scanning the pictures and titles.

"Give us about 10 minutes, 'kay doll?" Sasuke grins at the waitress, putting the charm on.

The brunette blinks. Then she smiles flirtatiously. "You got it, _Sir_."

As soon as she leaves, he says to Ino: "And that's how it's done."

The cheerleader laughs. "So I see."

The remainder of dinner was pretty much that: slight flirting, mild chit-chat, and Sasuke almost enjoying himself yet still unable to shake the feeling of wanting to be there with someone else.

Afterwards they hit the rave, dancing up close and personal (if not a little dirty) for hours on end. They stopped only when their breathing came short and their throats too dry to breathe with, which was when they would order something to drink.

By the end of the night – which rested on the numbers 11:37 – Ino was giggling breathlessly and gushing over how it was the most fun she's ever had with a guy in her life.

"Thanks for showing this dumb blonde a good time," she winks playfully as he walks her to her door. Without hesitation, she leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. "Goodnight," Ino murmurs. Then she slips inside, closing the front door gently.

Sasuke blinked once or twice, shrugged, then moved on. It was time to his home – and no, he didn't mean Naruto's house.

He decided to pay a visit to his original home, and inform his brother that he'd be moving back in tomorrow. Hating it but having to do it nonetheless, the youngest Uchiha drove down a few streets from Ino and pulled up to a fairly large estate, the lights on even at this hour. He turned the key and listened as the engine died steadily. Slowly, Sasuke unbuckled himself and popped open his car door. He walked up to stoop and found the door open. He takes a step inside, and a startled voice questions who the hell was trying to break in.

"A kid by the name of Sasuke," he retorts coolly.

A tall, long-haired man nearly out of college and bearing bags underneath his eyes comes waltzing up to meet Sasuke. "Well, well, well, if it isn't my foolish little brother. Finally couldn't take any more of that boarding school, I see."

There was no humor in his tone. In fact, there was no other emotion in Itachi's words that Sasuke could make out… except for condescension. That was present quite clearly. But nothing new; Itachi tended to be slightly condescending in everything when it came to Sasuke. Itachi knew he was better than his younger sibling, and he showed it off like a trophy. Though he gave Sasuke a choice every time they spoke to rise and meet him. Itachi wanted his brother as a rival, if that made any sense.

"Yup. I couldn't about a month ago, so I ran away to live with a friend of mine." He watched as Itachi's face turned sour and his eyes hard. In the light they looked red with malice. "But I've seen the error of my ways and I want to move back in with you, Brother. Maybe even join that gang you're in and never told me about." He raises an eyebrow and smirks, already getting on his elder brother's nerves.

"Why don't you step into the kitchen and we can talk, eh, Sasuke?" Itachi says lightly, but his eyes told his true feelings.

"Sure."

Once in the kitchen, Itachi takes out a shot glass and a bottle of opened whiskey from a high cabinet, pouring himself some of the honey-colored liquid. He grins. "Something tells me I'll need this after I hear what else you have to say," his brother informs. Now, Itachi was no alcoholic, but he did drink a little whiskey on three occasions: killer stress, a holiday, or extremely good news. Sasuke assumed this shot was for the first occasion.

Sasuke clears his throat. "I escaped from that boarding school a while back and was too chicken to tell you, so I went to Naruto's. Kyuubi enrolled me back in Konoha High and I've been going there ever since. And I'd still like to go there until I graduate, but I'd like to be living here with you. At least until I get enough money to move out on my own for college or if you don't want me anymore. Also… I want to get into the Akatsuki like you. I don't even care if they're part of the reason why Mum and Dad are dead. I want in." Then he had nothing but to wait; wait for Itachi's hand to either strike him, his mouth to open into a yell of protest, his whiskey shot to be downed, or all three.

"Vodka is more of Deidara's choice in drink, bourbon is Kisame's, and other foul things are Hiden's favorites. But I personally like the taste of whiskey," Itachi says calmly in the way he does before he goes in for the kill. He lifts the shot glass as a sort of salute to his younger brother before slugging it all down in one gulp. "Tahh," he breathes out after wiping his pale lips. "Now, when should I expect you to have all your stuff back in your room?"

**A/N: I don't know where I originally wanted to go with this fic. It feels like it's spiraled so much further down and developed so much queerer than I had wanted. Perhaps I should have never added the elements of a gang into this. Perhaps I should have kept Sasuke at the boarding school, gone for the entire fic. Perhaps I should have kept Lee straight and put him with Sakura. Perhaps I shouldn't have planned the things I have set for the future, since it will further disfigure the storyline. I don't know. Maybe the plot is too complex to the point of insanity. But then again, since when is being a teenager in high school NOT insane? And since when are mafias not realistic? There are plenty in the big cities like Chicago and New York and Los Angeles as well as other places. So I don't know… maybe I'm not taking it too far, but I still could be. You tell me in a review. If you've never responded to an A/N before in this entire fic, I beg that you do this time. Please. For me. As a writer with a mixed-up brain and a NarutoXGaara obsession. -chibi kitsune eyes-**

**Oh, and if you read all that, I'm extremely proud of you. XD  
(because it's 203 words all by itself… :0 )**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The Truth Stings**


	25. Chapter 24: The Truth Stings

**A/N: you know, kudos to all of you for your support from my mini-authoress-meltdown ending note in the last chapter. i've grown much more comfortable in my decisions with this story, and for that i thank all of you. you'll never know how much i appriciate it! :3**

**hokay, so, it's stat-and-poll-question time.**

**stats: 9,500 (rounded from 9,497) hits; 2 C2s; 48 favs; 64 alerts. why the favs are nearly 20 lower than the alerts, i ahve no idea; since when i do one, personally, i do the other. unless the story is complete; then i only fav it. but whatever! I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THOSE DIGITS, PEOPLE. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING.**

**poll question (the poll is NOT on my profile): how did y'all come across this story? did a friend show you? was it in a C2? was it mentioned somewhere else? did you search something and this was one of the results? was it on the Naruto fanfiction front page as recently updated? TELL ME, I'M CURIOUS. becuase with that many hits, i think i deserve to know. XD**

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Chapter 24: The Truth Stings

So, it appears that Sasuke is currently residing back in his original home. The Uchiha Clan Estate. With his older brother, Itachi. And the strange thing is? Itachi knows that Sasuke is lying. What about, he's not sure, but he knows that his younger sibling is lying. Something simply did not add up. And Itachi was determined to find out what.

Gaara, on the other hand, appeared to be bunking with more people in his household than he was used to. For a time he had been a lone bachelor, but now he was left with Temari and Shukaku. Strange what living with certain people could do to you.

And Sasuke knew that for a fact. Why do you think he returned to Naruto and not his brother when he escaped the private school he was attending? Well, obviously he liked Naruto, and Naruto was his friend, but other than that: Itachi was the one who wanted him out of the way and in that school in the first place, so how would he feel is Sasuke came running back to Konoha from it? Plus… he hated his brother. Sure, the first reason was good enough, but the main point was how much he hated his older brother. Something about him didn't feel right. Sasuke never felt safe with his brother, especially not after his parent's mysterious death.

Gaara could care less about the people around him. He didn't feel safe, unsafe, comfortable, uncomfortable, or much of anything when someone else was staying in the house he resided in. Basically, he was indifferent towards his siblings and uncle. If they wanted to be there with him after his father's death, then fine, he'll let him. it made no change to his daily pattern other than who would cook dinner or who would go shopping. Personally, he preferred living alone. It was easier. But how can he turn down family? Even he was not so heartless. Family – despite it's up and downs, betrayals and sincerities – is the only thing Gaara had left in the end. He didn't even have himself, because he's been forever confused as to who he is. Especially after the Yashamaru incident, something no one brings up anymore. What's done is done, and who's dead is dead. And that was final. Yet he was ever confused since that time… he felt like he didn't know his own emotions or what to do with them. So he locked them away and hid from himself. Essentially, he became a blank slate of nothing. A nobody.

Sasuke could never do that. He could stuff his emotions down temporarily, but they always came back to bite him in the ass. Karma was constantly working it's magic on him, and he detested it. But Sasuke has no say in the matter, now does he? He must let things flow in their proper order, as they are meant to be. No living soul can stop fate. Not even the rebellious Sasuke Uchiha.

Digressing, yes, but that much needed to be said. Now, back to the present time.

Here we have Saturday, a peaceful day, in which Naruto is in high spirits. He considers this evening at 4:00 to be a date, though he knows – exactly like when he met 'Resshin' at Starbucks – this is not such an occasion. This time around, however, he wants it to be one. Why couldn't be go out on a normal date with Gaara? Oh yeah, that's right… because he doesn't know Gaara's opinion of him, they're both guys and might be ridiculed for it, and Sasuke might get flaming jealous. Lee, not so much; he might be a little in shock or hurt, but not for long. Lee always bounces back. He's also not the 'flaming jealous' type. Sasuke is. Specifically the 'flaming' part.

Naruto felt a teensy-weensy bit girly right before he had to leave for the arcade. Reason? He was fretting over his clothing choice. How dressy should he be? How causal? Orange or blue for his shirt? Maybe red instead? What about black? Green? All great choices! And what about his pants? Light denim, dark denim, faded denim, rusty denim, or greenish denim? Holes in the knees and worn-down-to-a-frayed-hole in random places or no holes at all? What about bleach platters or that ripple effect? Baggy cargo jeans or sleek fitting jeans? And should he skip all that altogether and wear black or khaki pants in place of blue jeans?

So many choices. So little time.

In the end he did the manly thing to do (and no, that doesn't mean he played the old 'eenie meenie miney moe' game): he threw on whatever his hands touched first. A sort of blind style of dressing yourself. Girls can't do it because they need to color-coordinate and match up styles and accessories and blah blah blah. But guys? They could choose any pair of pants with just about any shirt and it'd match. Especially if they only wore a certain style of clothing. In Naruto's case, he had one or two sets of fancy stuff (including khakis and polo shirts, along with a suit or two), but other than that all his wear was t-shirts and jeans with the sporadic jacket to match. And that was it. Same goes for his shoes: mostly Vans, one pair of Nikes, some old Sketchers sandals, and one pair of black dress shoes. Pretty much everything had a purpose: casual wear, exercise, summer, and special occasions. Clothes and shoes included.

So where did that leave him now? With a pair of black-and-green Vans, a fitting green sleeveless shirt, a black denim jacket, charcoal jeans, and his signature blue-crystal necklace and hidden army knife. All in all, he looked lip-lickin' good. But don't tell Gaara that; he might black out from death by nosebleed. …Okay, so not really, but any girl would. The only thing that could make it better would be spiked earrings and eyeliner. Naruto didn't go for that stuff, though. And on him, this ensemble didn't look very punk or very emo. No, it just looked… well, like Naruto: tough like a rocker but friendly like your best bud. Yet sexy in a twisted way. You know, Naruto's usual look aside from 'dobe in orange'.

With his clothes magically made perfect for poll playing and his stomach hungry for the promised pizza and soda pop, the Uzumaki boy set out for the arcade. Sasuke was gone – moved out earlier that day – and Kyuubi was the sole other person in the house again. The businessman currently rested in the family room by the front door, a glass of iced tea in on hand and a magazine in the other.

"Where you going dressed so nice? Eh, Naru-to?" Kyuubi smirks playfully. The manner of his adjustment in seating and cock of one eyebrow reminded Naruto of an officer in those Law and Order TV shows where a cop is questioning someone.

"I'm not dressed nice. Everyone wears stuff like this," he says, not sure if it's a lie or not. Was he dressed nice? He felt like he was dressed satisfactory enough to meet with his crush, and yet causal at the same time.

"I dunno, you look like some hot stud to me. Sure you're not hiding a date from me with some lucky girl?" the middle-aged man replies slyly.

"Nope," Naruto states, although his voice cracks and nearly gives him away.

Kyuubi winks at him and chuckles. "Whatever you say." There's a pause as he realizes what his adoptive dad is hinting at, and he flushed slightly. Right as he turns the knob of the door, Kyuubi calls out: "Don't stay out too late!"

The blonde shakes his head with a smile. "Believe me, I won't!"

And then he's out the door, stepping into the hazy sunlight.

o0o0o0o0o

Four o' clock rolled by. Gaara stood outside the arcade, chewing idly on a fresh strip of Orbit's cinnamint. '4th of July' by Audioslave played through his earphones, leaking electric guitar and echoing lyrics into his skull. It was like nervous pacing but for the mind, a way to make him less feeling about a simple meeting with a friend to play billiards. Unfortunately, the gum-chewing and music-listening wasn't assisting him how he had wanted it to. Instead of making Gaara feel calmer, it made him feel even more… _apprehensive_. He constantly asked himself why Naruto affected him like this time and time again. And tonight he would figure out 'why'. But not yet. The date had just begun.

"Gaara!" says a cheerful voice through his rock music, and the redhead looks up to find Naruto riding his bike straight towards him.

"Naruto," he acknowledged with a nod. Gaara removed his ear pieces and held down pause on his MP3 player to shut it off. Tucking the device away into his pocket, Gaara gave Naruto an once-over with his eyes. Odd thoughts sprung up into his mind, most of them centered around the following: how tightly that green shirt clung to Naruto's broad chest, how long his legs looked in those pants, how overly sleek that jacket was, and how much it all made Gaara want to physically get closer to the blonde. He gulped, not knowing what these thoughts meant or why he was having them – however brief they came and went.

"Let's get in there and get playing, ne?" he winked at Gaara. Naruto himself always found his eyes searching the redhead's body, most of the time for a reaction to something since his face was always so blank. He caught movement in Gaara's pale throat: a heavy swallow. He also caught how delicious the other teen appeared, what with his twin crossing belts and black cloth pants and dark peacock blue long-sleeved shirt. He also noticed a silver glimmer in the setting sun's rays on Gaara's chest and in his ears. A necklace and earrings. But only one set of spiked metal, and the necklace was a simple cross.

Funny, outside of their school uniforms they both dressed a bit dark, but Naruto because he felt like it this time around (and to impress Gaara somewhat) and Gaara because he didn't care. Really, Gaara dressed like a poet. And Naruto dressed like… his own person. It was merely coincidence that they chose punk-like colors or accessories this time around.

"Yes, let's," Gaara replies simply, trying to remove his gaze from Naruto's intense blue and the shine of his smile. And to rid himself of those thoughts. He didn't want to be attracted to Naruto in _that way_. Yet he was starting to, and it was scaring him. Gaara had always pictured himself as asexual: he didn't have a preference in females or males, and didn't hunger for sex like most teenagers (he wasn't a very sexual person by nature anyhow; he kind of figured that out in his freshman year when Jiraiya, their Health Class – a.k.a. Sex Ed. – teacher, shared the information about vast amounts of pubic hair: the more you have, the more hormonal and sexual you are. Gaara had none whatsoever. He didn't even have eyebrows by birth, though if he had any of these things, he knew it'd be the exact bright red of his head hair). He also vowed not to love or fall in love with anyone except himself and his siblings. So to have these sorts of reactions to Naruto… it wasn't considered 'usual' for him. Nor was it considered 'safe'.

The pair stepped foot into the building, not catching anyone's eye. Which was fine; Naruto didn't want to be seen as a 'couple', because he and Gaara really weren't one. So he smiled his signature smile, warm and friendly and goofy. He strode over to the first empty pool table he saw, his paprika-haired (since his hair isn't quite _ginger_; it's more _paprika_) friend in tow. "This one's good. Here, I'll rent us some cues –"

"I brought my own."

In all the fuss of the crowd and the way Gaara had been standing outside the arcade, Naruto hadn't noticed the short, slim fabric case that Gaara had slung over one shoulder. It was a bland forest green, but as soon as he unzipped it, there was a light-colored wooden top half, slim and glossy, strapped beside a darker, thicker bottom half with a design scrolled across it. A half-circle rubber stopper lay at the bottom and the second half, and a white-rimmed rounded tip lay at the top of the first half. A cube of blue chalk was also in the case, the little bit of chalk you use to rub over that rounded tip to make blue powder all over the floor with. The Sabaku boy wasn't kidding in his past e-mail when he said he played a lot of pool. This was proof.

"Whoa, that's so…!" he tries, although he can't think of the right word. It's not only 'cool' or 'awesome', but it's was more… 'dazzling'? Not quite, but close. "Can I look at it?" Naruto mutters in awe, his hands reaching. He wanted to inspect that design closer to see what it was.

Currently Gaara was twisting the screw-on upper half to the screw-in bottom half. He shrugs, a wordless way of saying that he didn't care if Naruto examined it or not. He hands the finished pool cue over to the blonde, watching as a teeny smile reaches those pouty, lightly tan lips and scarred cheeks. Gaara shakes his head to stop himself from staring too long at Naruto's lips. "I'll go get you a cue," he mumbles, but Naruto hears him and nods as he turns the lower part of the cue around in front of his face to see all the sides.

It was fascinating. There were storm clouds over an open desert landscape, a bright bolt of lightening striking a single flower, setting it aflame. The symbolism's meaning escaped Naruto at the moment, but he admired the yellow-orange airbrushed flames and the green veins in the flower's leaves. He also admired the contrast between the oblique, darkened clouds of the sky and the crooked brightness of the lightening. The desert sand was slightly too rusty in color, but the way it rolled all over the bottom near the rubber stopper was perfect, all hills and line-y patterns. This pool cue's design was charming in it's artwork, even if the choice of art was… questionable.

When Naruto was done looking at Gaara's playing tool, he laid it against the side of the table to rest. He glances around and drummed his fingers along the scratched, clear-coated surface of the billiard table's ledge, miscellaneous rock music resembling Collective Soul playing over the speakers. Gaara returned just then, beat-up cue in hand. "Here," he says.

"Thanks," Naruto grins as he takes hold of the cue stick. Hmm, that's strange… as soon as his fingers knocked against one of Gaara's, the redhead recoiled. What's up with that?

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke winced. His brother was going to do something, he just knew it. Nothing felt justified. It felt… too perfect. Too much to feel safe. Why had Itachi let him back home so easily? Why hadn't he lashed out in verbal or physical abuse when Sasuke said he had run away? Why was his older brother currently smiling at him? (Well, it was a small, hardly recognizable smile, but it was there nonetheless.)

"Itachi?" Sasuke says lowly, cautiously.

"Yes?"

"Uh… about the Akatsuki… since I'm going to join it, can you tell me about some of it's members? Like this guy I heard about, Sasor–"

Itachi cut him off, his palm flying down smack on the table. "Stop. You're not really interested in Master Pein's mafia, are you? You're planning on joining the ANBU, aren't you? Don't lie to me, little brother. You're foolish if you think you can pull the wool over my eyes; I'm not blind. I can see that you're trying to gather information from me. And I know you're not in this house right now by will. Tell me. Tell me what's going on."

_Shit, I forgot how clever my brother is,_ Sasuke growled in his mind. He glanced away from Itachi's cold eyes, more piercing and alluring than his own. "Tch, fine, you caught me. Is that what you wanted to hear? I was fibbing. I don't want to join the Akatsuki, and yes, I was put up to this by the ANBU. But I want in it so that I can find out what fucker killed our family, Itachi! Don't you care about any of that? No, don't answer. I know you don't. You never have." His words were sharp, like the blade on the shaft of a brand-new knife. They cut a gash deep down into Itachi, and for a moment the older man looked a washed-out green, as though he were about to toss his lunch. "Are you happy now, Brother? I told the truth," Sasuke adds as an afterthought, his tone icier than Alaska in the dead of winter.

"I…" he begins, but his throat feels dry. This would be easier to say if he were buzzed. Whiskey can't cure all problems, however. "Sasuke, sit back down," Itachi says calmly, though his heart was racing guiltily in his chest. The raven-haired teen had gotten up, about to leave for his bedroom, but there was much more left to say.

Sasuke seats himself. "What," he shoots. It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

Itachi sighs in a frustrated tone. "There's something you need to know."

"Like what?"

"The people who killed our parents and everyone else in the Uchiha family…"

Sasuke leans in, his left ear subconsciously turning in the direction of Itachi's mouth to catch his words better. He was talking much too low.

"It wasn't the Akatsuki _as a group_… But instead _one person_…"

Sasuke waits._ It was who, it was **who**?!_ The teen's mind screams.

"Me." Itachi says slowly, pointing a thumb to his chest.

Sasuke fell silent and numb. He leaned away automatically, right at the sound of the short word. His mind didn't process those two letters, and certainly couldn't put them together to make sense. His heart faltered in beating, twisted up and ached with each throb that was meant to be a beat. His lungs threatened to go up in a fiery blaze if he didn't breathe soon. But Sasuke couldn't muster the strength to do anything but cry. No, not 'cry'… that would only mean a few tears and watery eyes, perhaps a pink nose. That's not that Sasuke did. No, the Avenger didn't 'cry'; he wailed, long and hard, until his throat crumpled in on itself.

He felt as though he were 9 years old all over again, back when his parents bloody bodies were first found in one of the rooms of his house. There had been a family reunion going on, and he had come back from school one day, expecting to find all his family members waiting to greet him. Instead, he found empty cars, cricket-chirping silence, and splattered blood everywhere. Bullet holes, too, decorating random chips in the sidewalk, the wood floor or plaster walls, and in the corpses of most of his relatives. And then in his parents.

Talk about being scarred for life.

But what had haunted him the most was that Itachi and himself had been the only ones alive, although he later found out that Madara – supposedly dead – had went under the name 'Tobi' and secretly became an addition to the Akatsuki. No, more haunting than being one of the sole survivors was that the killer had never been located.

Yet here Itachi was, saying that he knew who the killer is. _It's him._ The last person Sasuke had for family, the only person he had ever looked up to, the man right in front of his tear-streaked face. Itachi.

"No…" he said quietly. "No… no…" he kept going, his voice gaining volume. "No! No, no, NO!" Sasuke shook his head rapidly, trying to regain his composure. "No…!" A murderer? A murderer in his own home? A murderer of everyone he ever knew? A murderer…

"Sasuke, please, calm down," Itachi said, but his words meant nothing to the teen at this moment.

People say: 'The truth stings, especially when it's what you don't want to hear.' Or: 'The truth stings, especially when affects someone close and dear to you.' To this, Sasuke would like to add a big fat 'YA THINK?!'

He ran. He ran out to his car, Itachi yelling his name the whole time. He drove away, Itachi right in his rearview mirror as he sped down their street. Because how can he face his brother now? Obviously, Itachi killed everyone to get into the Akatsuki. It made sense: in order to get into a ruthless, cold-hearted gang, you have to cut off your bonds and have no emotional ties. But was it worth it? And why did Sasuke live out of everyone else in his family?

Now Sasuke had no reason to get into the ANBU. He knows who ruined his life; he doesn't need some detective search to help him find that out anymore. He already failed his mission, anyhow: Itachi knew from the start about his trying to join the ANBU. So what's the point? What's the point of anything? He should just die right now. Or should've been dead long ago along with the rest of his family.

No. That's not how to handle this. He needs to recuperate and make up a plan. That's all he can do.

o0o0o0o0o

Five balls in and Naruto was already losing. Gaara was skilled at this. It was all math to him, and since Naruto believed in luck, he got the notion that Gaara's cue was lucky or magic or some shit. Naruto only got one ball into one of the six pockets, and that ball was the cue ball, which wasn't supposed to go in there.

The blonde sighed. "You're whooping my ass, Gaara," he stated. Thank you Captain Obvious.

"Who's counting?" Gaara teased, though his voice was ever monotonous.

_He's clearly amused,_ Naruto thinks with the roll of his purely blue orbs. _He's being cocky about this. Well, I can't blame him; I pretty much suck._

"You're up," Gaara nods, his eyes following the last of the movement form his recent shot. The balls clank around against each other and the lip of the table, and Naruto sighs again.

"Earthquake indeed," he jokes, sending a grin Gaara's way before bending down to shoot.

The poet shakes his head, knowing a flirtatious grin when he sees one. Why Naruto tried so hard around him, he had no idea. He watched Naruto's thick fingers fumble around a position on the end of the cue, his face scrunching up as he closes one eye and squints the other, his tongue curling over his lip on the right side. He cocks his arms, and – misses.

"Dammit," the blonde mutters to himself. He cocks his arm again, ready to strike. And – hits it too lightly. The tip of the cue rolls off to the side of the ball. "Shit!"

Gaara sighs. "I've been trying not to correct you, but you're horrible. Here, let me help," he says, coming up behind Naruto.

The Uzumaki boy freezes, his face heating up. "N-no, no, I g-got it… I'm just, you know, rusty… that's all…"

His e-pal looks skeptical. "Oh, is that all?" He knows better. Naruto's probably played billiards a handful of times in his life, that much was evident. He merely understood the rules, but had no technique or skill. He needed coaching. "When I play against someone, I like a challenge. Right now, it's like I'm facing a 6-year-old."

Naruto grumbles something akin to 'uncalled for', but Gaara ignores him. He also ignores the physical contact he knows he has to make in order to teach the hurricane how to shoot properly. He comes up close, careful to not touch too much of his chest to Naruto's back (which no longer bore the greaser-like jacket). He steadies his arms and shaking hands to wrap around Naruto's own sleeveless arms, taking hold of his own hands.

Milky skin met peach, and Naruto never thought his face could be so red. He gulped and adverted his eyes from the rest of the arcade, the back of his mind secretly hoping that no one was gawking at them. Would they? To anyone else, it looked like one friend helping the other to play pool correctly. But to Naruto… it was like Gaara was embracing him from behind. Awkward? Or Pleasant? It felt like smidge of both.

"You have to position your fingers around the cue like a guide," Gaara explains, his voice not wavering an ounce. It was right in Naruto's ear, too, Gaara's chin bumping his shoulder every time the redhead spoke.

He realized that Gaara was shorter than when they said goodbye at the coffee house. Did Naruto grow since then? Maybe that's why Gaara hadn't distanced himself too much from Naruto during that falling exercise; Naruto was now a good inch and a half taller.

"Curl your index finger like this, and you're a leftie, so you have to bring your left elbow back to about here if you want enough force for this shot," Gaara droned on, and Naruto exhaled deeply to rid himself of his nerves and concentrate on Gaara's words.

But he was distracted. He could smell Gaara's gum. Spicy, minty, and sweet. Must be cinnamon. It smelled good. His cologne smelled good, too; woodsy, natural, but slightly perfume-y. Naruto liked it.

"There, I think you can take over from here," he said gently, and pulled away in one swift movement.

All at once, the extra body heat, scents, and pressure was gone. Naruto was left hunched over, his eyes blinking a few times to adjust to the change. The blonde swallowed hard and nodded his head. "Okay. Here goes…" and he cocked his arm. His cue slid forward through his re-positioned fingers and hit the cue ball at just the right angle. It sped forward and knocked a solid, which knocked a stripe, which knocked another stripe into a hole in the corner. Stripes were his balls. He just earned a point. Slowly, he grinned. "Hellz yeah, that's how it's done!" Naruto cheered, jabbing a quick fist in the air prior to pointing at Gaara in an 'in-your-face!' manner.

Gaara did something remarkable then: he smiled. "Good job," he congratulated. Although you should know by now how unenthusiastic his congratulations are. Naruto knew he meant it, though. That smile was enough to compensate for his tone (or lack thereof).

Time for another shot. If you make one in, you get another shot. Naruto takes it, and while replaying Gaara's instructions in his mind, he nearly gets another ball into the hole.

"Your turn," Naruto grins, his spirits much higher now. And not only because he was one step closer to possibly winning…

Gaara hits the cue ball and sends it spinning into two solids, knocking them both into a hole at once. He was on the brink of winning. One more solid – the game-ending 8-ball – and Gaara would win this round. All before they ate pizza, too. Shows you how terrible Naruto is at this and how quickly a round of billiards goes.

Naruto sighs and scratches the back of his head. "I'm totally out of my league. You pretty much won right there," he says, a tad disheartened.

"Since when do you throw in the towel, Naruto?" the other teen retorts, clearly not wanting to end the game that simply. …And he didn't like seeing the blonde with such a defeated expression on his face.

His comment got Naruto's attention rather quickly. "I don't! I…" he fumbles, his competitive side triggered. He smirks. "I was just testing you," he says finally. "And I'm not giving up. I'm going to catch up to you and win, you'll see."

The other teen nods to himself, glad that Naruto got his fighting spirit back. Gaara leans over and goes to shoot the 8-ball in. He could, quite easily. But he wanted to give Naruto a chance, too… Hence, for the first time in his life, Gaara purposely missed and let Naruto have his turn. He won't let Naruto win, but if Naruto stays on this scoring streak of his, he won't need to purposely miss again.

o0o0o0o0o

"Mybrother'safuckingmurderer!" Sasuke bellows as he comes crashing in through Kyuubi's unlocked front door.

"Saturday evenings must be the high time for action and drama," Kyuubi chuckles to himself while he mutes the television. Ironically, it had been the TNT channel, king of action and drama (their slogan is 'we know drama', for crying out loud!). He lets out a breath and glances at Sasuke. "Now what was that? You were talking so fast I couldn't understand you."

"I said: My. Brother. Is. A. Fucking. _Murderer_." The dark-haired boy repeats, his breathing ragged and his nose still red from crying. Even his eyes looked bloodshot, more proof of his tear-shedding moment.

Kyuubi's eyes narrow and his gaze grew hard. "_What_?"

Sasuke roars, kicking off his shoes and storming up the stairs. "He's a murderer! He told me himself! _He killed my family!_ It was him all along!" He looks around, his face growing less angry and more puzzled. "Where's Naruto?"

Said boy's adoptive parent shrugs. "Dunno. But he looked like he was meeting someone for a date," he says with a wriggle of his eyebrows. He coughs once, returning to the main subject. "Itachi killed them, huh? Why am I not surprised?" He shakes his head. "That's just messed up. Why would he kill his own kin?"

"Because of the Akatsuki." Sasuke mutters bitterly. Though his mind is on Kyuubi's statement about a date. There's Gaara again, rubbing it in his face.

"Ah; them… Makes sense now. They tried to recruit me, said I'd be a good leader, but I'm not the type. I prefer controlling a company, not a country. They're out to dominate Konoha and who knows where else. As for me? I'm out to dominate the cash in a business."

The teenager doesn't reply. He goes into the kitchen, trying to sort out his thoughts. What the hell is he supposed to do now? He can't bug Kyuubi to live here again, not after he had recently moved out. And he didn't have enough insurance of his own to get his own place yet…

"You know…" Kyuubi starts, his words giving a solution to Sasuke's thoughts. "I could go to the authorities on this. Could get your brother in jail and give you that house and all Itachi's earnings. It wouldn't be too hard, seeing as how I went to law school for a while; I was going to be a lawyer. I would've been damn good at it, too… Manipulating people is my number one talent."

Sasuke slowly looks to the older man, who was now standing a few feet away. He grins. "Sounds like a plan to me."

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto was so close to winning, so terribly close. He had gotten 6 of his 7 stripes into the pockets all across the green-topped table. Now all he had left was that pesky 12-ball. The dark blue of it's stripe glared at Naruto like a bad imitation of his deep blue eyes, and he growled at it. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon…!"

He took the shot. The fair-haired boy watched as the ball shy-rocketed across the surface; had had hit it too hard. It rebounded off the sides, one – two – three – four times, and finally slowed to a stop. Far away from any of the holes that lead into the pockets.

"Damn," he grins, straightening his back and wiping his brow. "Well, it's your turn now."

So far Naruto had been hitting a lot of them in, and with so little obstacles in the way, Gaara hadn't gotten the 8-ball in yet.

The redhead smirks lightly, the action hardly noticeable, and leans in for his next shot. The position of that 12-ball was perfect for a rebound for his 8-ball. It'll go in this time, and he'll win. Naruto will surely ask for another round and they'll probably be at it all night **(A/N: I know you thought something dirty right there! You perv…)**, but Gaara didn't mind. For once, he was having… fun. For once, he was enjoying himself with another human being. A rare occurrence, to be sure. Although, admittedly, his mall adventure with Temari had also been enjoyable, but this incident is different. …Perhaps it was the fact that he was with Shippuuden and not his sister.

Gaara taps the cue ball and watches as it soars and hits the 11-ball, promptly striking the 8-ball and propelling it all the way home. Score! Panda-man win count: 1. Fox-boy win count: ZILCH.

"Aw, man!" Naruto whines, stomping the rubber end of his cue stick against the ground. He sighs. "Looks like I'm buying the pizza, then."

"Says who?"

"Says the rules of how I play. When someone beats me at something, I pay for food. It's how it's always been, especially between Kiba and me." He explains with a crooked smile.

Gaara tilts his head ever-so-slightly. "Well, I'm not Kiba, and I want to pay for our dinner. It's the least I can do…" _since you were kind enough to invite me in the first place,_ he adds mentally. Tch, like he'd ever tell Naruto such a thing. That'd be one hell of an embarrassing moment.

For some reason, Naruto's stomach flutters at that. G_aara wants to pay? Whoa Nellie, it's like this is a date! I better say something smooth…_ "Alright, have it your way; you can pay this time around. But next time, I'm doing the honors," he grins, pointing a thumb at his chest as he stressed the word 'I'm'. He couldn't help but subtly stress 'next time' as well, since he really did want to go out with Gaara again. Hopefully, it wouldn't be as friends "next time". _Oh yeah, that was smooth,_ Naruto thinks, giving himself a (figurative) pat on the back.

As they set their cues aside and walked towards the front to order some pizza, Naruto's demeanor shifted. What if he _turned this into a date_? What if he were to express some of his feelings right here, right now? – How would Gaara react? No… how would **Resshin** react?

"Gaara…?" he asks slowly, testing his own boldness. Can he do it?

"Hn?" the other replies dully, having just asked for a pepperoni and extra-cheese large pizza. He knew that was a mutual favorite between himself and his companion.

Naruto's fingers played a silent melody behind his back, his nerves getting the best of him.

"What is it?" Gaara turns, trying to see why Naruto was being hesitant in asking him something.

The blonde panics for an instant. Then he's left with being called chicken, for he turned away and stalked back to their billiard table. He can't do it! What if Gaara gets angry with him? What if it ruins whatever kind of friendship they have?

Then again… what if it makes things better and draws them closer? What if it allows Naruto to reach his goal in digging deeper into Gaara's heart? That would be exactly what the doctor had ordered!

Gaara returns, pizza in hand. He sets it on the billiard table, thankfully earning no complaints from the arcade employees. "Naruto? Are you feeling alright?" he questions, his intense ocean blue-green eyes studying Naruto's facial expression and posture.

Steadily, Naruto takes a deep breath and smiles half-heartedly. "Never better! Now, uh, let's eat…"

Gaara cocks an eyebrow muscle, a look that meant: 'I'm not buying this act' or 'what's up with him?'. Not to say he hasn't made Naruto give him the same look…

"I can't do this," he mutters, and Gaara stares at him harder. Naruto glances up at the other boy. "Gaara, I…" And he tries not to perceive the increase in distance between them as the redhead backs away slightly, not liking his personal space invaded. And he tries not to perceive the pizza's steady loss of heat. And he tries not to perceive the other pairs of eyes in the arcade.

And with one step, one grab of the wrist, and one movement of his head, Naruto mirrored his dreams. He kissed those stern lips, tasting stale cinnamint and surprise. Suddenly, his world lacked no luster, and he felt tingly all over.

But someone playing an ancient Street Fighter game nearby witnessed the kiss, and he faltered, hearing a fatality in his game. Lee didn't know what to think of his world now. His crush got kissed by one of his friends. The truth really does sting; especially when it affects your heart.


	26. Chapter 25: A Chemical Chain Reaction

**A/N: for this beginning part with Naruto and Gaara, i got some mood music for you: 'Right Here' by Staind. gawd i love that song... -hearts-**

**HOLY SHITEEE, I BROKE 10,000 HITS. i lurve you guys! and oh my, i'm getting really close to 300 reviews... that's feck'n mind-numbing. plus, my fav and alert stats rose to 51 and 66 (was 48 and 64)? yayz! thanks so much, people!! **

* * *

Chapter 25: A Chemical Chain-Reaction

All at once, the lone thing Gaara could see, hear, taste, smell and feel is _Naruto_. All his senses – his whole body – is taken over by _Naruto_. A warm, lightly pressured, uncertain mouth. A sweaty, meaty hand around his wrist to stop him from pulling away. A humming noise, like a content sigh, grazing his face from Naruto's nostrils. A blur of blonde hair and blue eyes fluttering closed before utter blackness as Gaara shuts his own lids. A flavor leaked through his sealed lips, along with a matching scent: burning leaves and ramen. The leaves could be from the chilly fall weather outside, and the ramen was probably the last thing Naruto had eaten.

The combination was intoxicating.

His first instinct – since all of his senses were filled and processed in a millisecond – was to pull away and run, out the arcade door, down the street, and all the way to the safety of his duplex. Where eyes didn't stare and nobody expected a love confession or some nonsense. A place where everything made sense.

Because, really, how did this make sense? One minute he was about to pick up a slice of pizza and begin gorging himself and before he can do that he's swept up into a full-on-the-mouth kiss. How did that happen? What brought this on? Why Naruto of all people? He's another male, an old enemy, a lab partner, a new friend, and…

_And…_

Gaara's heart skipped a beat. His second instinct was to kiss Naruto back. To slip his tongue inside, or to move his jaw, or to pucker his lips out of their tight, shocked line.

His third instinct was to speak. Say something, anything, but mostly_ 'why'._ But that last 'and' from his thoughts was holding him back from speaking. And **what**? What else was Naruto to him? The first four things were merely fact… the last was something entirely different.

Naruto broke the kiss at a snail's pace, his lips un-sticking themselves and pulling away as his grip on Gaara's wrist released. Their noses grazed for a brief moment, and Naruto's hot breath came out and washed over Gaara's chin, making a shudder run down his spine and tickle his toes.

Why was his heart behaving so erratically? Why were his eyes only now choosing to open? Why was his face heating up into a wild blush? Why, why, why…

"Sorry," Naruto says to him, but Gaara can't comprehend the word at first. Once he does, he shakes his head minutely, trying to tell Naruto without words that he needn't be sorry. His vocal cords were dead in his throat, his tongue dry. He felt like a mute. But Naruto kept on talking for him, so it was alright. "I must look really stupid right about now…" He weakly places a nail to his scarred cheek, scratching lightly in mortification. "I did that without thinking…" Which wasn't entirely true, Gaara could tell. Naruto must have been thinking _something_.

"No…" is the one thing he finds he can say, his intelligent mind drawing blanks. 'No' here meant a great deal of things, like 'no, you're not stupid' (said fondly) and 'no, you didn't think' (said coldly) and 'no, you shouldn't have kissed me' (said sadly) and 'no, you were right to kiss me' (said happily) and 'no, don't come near me' (said panicky) and so on and so forth. It meant everything, that word 'no'; Because Gaara was terribly confused.

He had never gotten much affection when he was growing up, and any that was offered as he got older was either rejected or not allowed to happen. He's been hurt – emotionally and physically – too many times. So to have gotten a sign of affection out of the blue like that, well, it frankly blew a casket in Gaara's brain as though a hurricane had come and gone; literally.

"You…" was the next thing he could say.

Naruto cocked his head, wondering what he had brought upon Gaara's fragile emotional state. _Havoc, that's what,_ the blonde guessed.

"Why?" he asks finally. Gaara places a hand on the edge of the pool table, trying to balance himself. He was on the brink of toppling over.

"Why?" Naruto repeats, taking that in. "Hmm…" he muses, throwing his hands behind his head and leaning against the table. He smiles faintly, the flush on his cheeks dissipating. "I'd say it's because I wanted to – no, more like needed to – and finally got the guts to. I've kinda liked you for a while now, and, um, was hoping I could turn this into a date." He clicks his tongue. "That was irrational of me."

_I'll say,_ Gaara answers in his head. The shock was wearing thin, and he was growing more able to think. He runs a hand though his hair, starting at the bangs on his left side. His tattoo reveals itself for a moment, flashing dark red dashes and lines at Naruto before disappearing. Oh, the meaning of that diminutive Japanese symbol etched into his brow…

Something told Gaara that he still had time to run, and that he should do it this very second. He needed to bail, to regroup and think things over. A tiny voice, however, wanted him to stay put where he was and to settle things **now**. Where that voice came from, he had no clue, but it was like the one he had heard in the car that day a few weeks ago. And you know what? He decided to listen to that voice. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and didn't look directly at Naruto, but he wasn't running away, and that's certainly a start.

Naruto looks sheepishly over at Gaara. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

Was he angry with the blonde? Perhaps a little. That was unexpected and somewhat inappropriate. But that kiss had felt… wonderful. Hence, Gaara quavers his head 'no' in response.

Naruto looks relieved, and he smiles. "Well that's good," he says in a soft tone resembling a sigh. He clears his throat. "Our pizza will get cold if we don't eat it," Naruto offers, trying to move passed the moment. Even though every part of Naruto was begging him to do that again, every part of him wishing the redhead's lips would return the kiss the next time around. But Naruto bottled those urges up for later. If things played out correctly, he'd have the chance to give Gaara another kiss. And who knows? Maybe next time, the kiss would be Gaara's doing and not his. At least, he dreamed so.

Wordlessly, the paprika-haired boy reached forward and grabbed a square slice (the pizza had been cut oddly), the cheese sliding off the sides and threatening to drip sauce on his fingers. Gaara had lost his appetite. Yet he forced himself to take a bite; any excuse to not speak.

On the opposing side, Lee had exited the arcade as soon as Naruto had broken the kiss. He didn't want to see anything more. Once he was home (his father asking if he broke any high scores, though he ignored Gai and went to his room), Lee proceeded to change clothes, grab his boom box, and escape to the garage. Besides being in track, wrestling, and football, Lee was skilled in the martial arts. Namely styles of kung fu. It was something he's been doing since he was strong enough to thrust his fist forward and kick his leg up (4 years old).

He pounded the shit out of the punching bag that hung from the rafters of the garage, miscellaneous 70's music he wasn't paying attention to blasting from his boom box speakers. To his father, the video game must've made him want to do various fighting moves himself.

But that wasn't true.

What was actually going on in Lee's mind were racing thoughts in sync with his aching heart. They went something like this: _Why did Naruto do that? He knew that I liked Gaara… and what about Sasuke Uchiha? He likes Naruto, and I'm sure he won't want to hear that they kissed. Kissing is a huge leap in youth, and especially in relationships. I'm disappointed I didn't get to be the one to kiss Gaara, but… He shakes his head, ridding his eyes of any tears they might spill. As hurt as I am, I can understand. Naruto must really like Gaara, maybe even more than I do. So if I interfere… it will only make things harder on Gaara. Plus, Naruto is my friend! I can't jeopardize our bond over some crush!_

He calmed down after that revelation. Because he realizes something: he crushes on Gaara strongly enough to _want him happy_. And if Naruto makes Gaara happy, then Lee's fine with it. Besides, he isn't full-blown in love with Gaara; which means: if Naruto is in love with the poet, then he probably shouldn't interfere. And won't. It may take a while, but he'll find someone else.

It makes him sick at the moment to have witnessed such a thing, but in due time, Lee knows he can bounce back. It's how he was raised: don't let anything get you down for long. You have to live out your life to the fullest, and fuel your flame of youth to the best of your ability. And one kiss wasn't about to extinguish his flame.

Lee's what you'd call a 'fighter'. That's why he's titled 'Like a Rock'.

o0o0o0o0o

Sunday arrived.

Saturday night had been strange between Naruto and Gaara, and had ended awkwardly. Naruto felt like a moron and Gaara had been confused beyond reason. Not the best emotions for playing billiards or for polishing off a "date".

So all day Sunday, Gaara puzzled over things. He dissected the meaning of his emotions and sorted out his thoughts. He had plenty of time to do that, too, at his new job. He had gotten it just under a week ago. Naruto had guessed right when he was talking with Sakura on Thursday: the reason why Gaara hadn't answered his calls was because he had been at work.

He got a job at probably the best place for him to work at: Boarder's bookstore. A new spot opened up at the store in town, and as soon as he had seen that, Gaara jumped at the offer. And they hired him, because he knew a lot about books and coffee. Which gave him entitlement to discounts on both. His two favorite things in the world – reading and sipping caffeine – all at his workplace. Who could ask for more?

Sasuke could. He could ask for a lot more. Currently, he was asking for his whole house and at least 30 years in jail. It helped that Itachi belonged to a gang; it gave the court all the more reason to file accusations against him and get Sasuke what he wanted. Funny how Kyuubi was able to get a court date so soon. Either the court wasn't very busy these days (kudos to the ANBU) or Kyuubi had a lot of connections. It was most likely a mishmash of the two. It didn't matter. What mattered was putting crimes to justice. Even if it hurt him to do this to his own brother.

While he sat there in the courtroom, Sasuke fidgeted and grunted out replies and kept a straight face. He was uneasy, sitting here at a table in front of the judge, his brother parallel to him in the stand next to said judge.

And while Gaara stood around Boarder's, he also kept a straight face, but his thoughts were much more rampant.

Coincidentally, both boys' minds were on Naruto. Sasuke because he was worried how all this may affect him (since the ANBU was bound to find this out and do something to Sasuke for abandoning his mission), and Gaara because he was deciding things about (mostly his precise feelings for) the blonde.

It turns out – for the two – their answers came rather quickly. By Monday afternoon, in fact.

On Monday, during chemistry class, Gaara realized something: he didn't want Naruto to ever leave him. As a friend, as a lab partner, and as a body. In lamest terms, he missed the contact between himself and the other teen. Since Saturday, they haven't spoken or touched, and Gaara was _missing_ it. What did this mean? Any idiot could understand that it meant he liked Naruto. How much, he didn't want to admit, because he feared it was as much as 'love'. Vaguely, he touched his tattoo under his hair. His e-pal caught him doing it, too.

"Headache?" he asks softly. Kakashi rambled main ideas about some science lesson or another from the movie that was playing on the television set above their heads. Naruto took notes on the teacher's words, albeit faintly.

The earthquake turns his head, staring straight into those blue eyes. He realizes one thing else: he's always liked Naruto's eyes. They held so much emotion and soul, and were the most unique shade of blue. _Gorgeous._ "No… I was thinking," he says. He glances down at the tabletop for a moment, the dimness of the room for the movie making it a darker black than usual.

Naruto smirks playfully. "What about?" he inquires. He turns his attention away from his note taking and focuses it entirely on his crush.

To tell the truth or to not tell the truth? That is the question. Gaara decided it was best to be honest. He presses a finger to his pursed lips, preparing himself to confess. He hoped Kakashi didn't interrupt; this was somewhat important. It was to him, at least. "I was thinking about that kiss," he whispers, wondering if Naruto even heard him.

Apparently he had. His eyes grow wide for a second. He glances around to make sure he was the only one who had heard Gaara's words. "Er…" Naruto starts, whispering as well. "And, uh, what are your thoughts on it?" He seemed nervous. And sounded very Shippuuden-like (which is different than his usual Naruto-like behavior. It was more serious, more sincere, and less goofy).

Resshin's inner thoughts that he kept to himself were: _I want to do it again._ But his outer thoughts that he shared with Naruto in this moment were childish, but honest. "You're good at it."

Naruto suppresses a chuckle. He hasn't kissed very much in his life… with other people, at least. He's done the classic thing countless times; that 'classic thing' being to practice on his own hand and arm. And even if he didn't French Gaara, according to him he was still 'good at it'. It was a funny thought to have the redhead tell him this, but also a flattering thing for someone to tell him. It made him feel a miniature sense of glowing on the inside. Playing it cool and flirty, he retorts: "We can try again some other time, if you like…"

Gaara could feel his face reacting, his cheeks tingling as they heated into a moderate blush. He looked away from Naruto's grinning face and coughed into his hand. Immediately he knew he shouldn't have said a word. If he was the type, he would flirt back and agree to 'some other time', but he wasn't the type, and felt openly stupid and discomfited.

He was in deep shit now. He knew he admired pretty much every detail that made up Naruto, and after that stunt the blonde had pulled on Saturday, he knew Naruto returned the sentiment. Problem is, how can he stand to go through with 'the next step'? Like admitting his feelings for real, or officially becoming a couple, or whatever else. He was shy and afraid, having too many conflicting things from his past. Yet he knew it was unavoidable, since he had – just last night – went to his phone and dialed the voicemail to hear that old message from when Naruto didn't know he was assigned to Gaara as a e-pal. He had done it to hear Naruto's voice again, even if he had just seen him Saturday and was going to see him again on Monday. So that does that tell him? It told him he was pathetically falling in high school puppy-love, which to Gaara was code for: NOT GOOD.

School ended shortly after, since all classes post-chemistry were pointless and boring in his eyes. Naruto wasn't in them. Shoot, there he goes again, thinking about his hurricane. School is over, that kiss is far behind him, and yet his mind won't stray from it. Damn it all. How can one thing affect someone so much? How can one kiss affect Gaara this much?

On the mirroring side of things, Sasuke walked into his house and plunked his schoolbag down to find his answering machine blinking. He strides over to the black box and presses play. A male automatic voice reaches his ears. **_'One new voice message. Monday at twelve seventeen pee em:_** 'Sasuke Uchiha, according to our sources, you have failed your mission and found out the truth of your missing clan by yourself. You are no longer needed in the ANBU unless you have information on the Akatsuki for us. Otherwise, you are forbidden to usher the name of this group ever again, nor come by our headquarters. If you so choose to, we will take necessary precautions. That is all. Delete this message at once.' **Bleep.** _**'You have no more recorded messages.'**_

Chills ran up Sasuke's spine. It sounded like a threat. And the voice of the speaker was someone he didn't know, which somehow made things worse. Suddenly, the phone rang, and he jumped in his skin. He picked it up off the charger attached to the voicemail machine. "Hello?"

"Hey Sasuke! It's Ino. How are you doing?"

"Oh… um… great. Just great," he says, shaking himself to rid his nerves of their anxious feeling. "How're you, babe?"

"Oh, I'm good; but you know how I can be better?" she asks lightly.

"How?" Sasuke replies, rolling his eyes but keeping his tone sounding interested.

"If me and you go out after school on Wednesday," she hints.

"Ooh, I can't…" Sasuke says. "I have to work. But I'm free Friday again." He did have some fun with her last time, and truth-be-told, he needed to get out more often anyway. Things needed to be taken off his mind, like this ANBU crap and his brother and blah blah blah. He'd prefer it to be with Naruto, or hell, even Sakura, but Ino isn't half bad. She's kind of preppy, but in a fun way, her snob level low on the charts.

"Okay," she giggles. "Friday it is, then. Where will we go this time?"

"How about the movies? There's a new one coming out. Something action-y, but has some romance in it, too."

"Sounds just fine to me," Ino counters. "See you then."

"See ya." And Sasuke hangs up, not bothering to say anything else for a goodbye. It wasn't his style. He collapses on the couch in the family room, his fingers making their way to his temples to rub out all the stress. Having a fake girlfriend, being rejected by a gang, having his brother possibly sent to prison… it can wear down a person.

o0o0o0o0o

Tuesday came, and Itachi's sentence got finalized. Convicted for murder, he was sentenced to 40 years, no bail, because he confessed and was proven guilty. 40 years plus his 20-or-so? That meant life, really. By the time he got out he'd be in his 60's.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way, little brother," Itachi murmured to Sasuke as the police hauled him away in handcuffs quietly.

"Me too, Itachi; me too..." Sasuke mutters with a broken tone. He felt rigid and cold inside.

And all this happened at 9:00 in the morning.

Sasuke wasn't going to school today. He knew the rumors would be spreading around like a mass of fruit flies, infecting everyone. And he didn't want to be there for that. Would you?

Reactions to the information were the main part of his absence from school. Especially the reactions of his friends. What would Naruto say? Or Sakura? What about Shikamaru or Ino, or anyone else he knew? Obviously, Sai must have heard it the second it happened, because the ANBU had already phoned him. What a mess…

In actuality, Ino was one of the first to be told, since it revolved around her boyfriend. Sakura got the news around the same time, having the status of "Ino's best gal pal".

"Poor Sasuke. It must be difficult for him. We should go to his house after he gets off work and bring him something," Sakura offered as soon as he heard the news.

"Well he's my boyfriend, so I think I'll bake him something I learned in Home Economics class. Do you think he likes dark chocolate/raspberry mousse pie?"

Sakura thought about that for a moment. She's known Sasuke longer than Ino has, and recalls all of his likes, one of them being dark chocolate. But the raspberry she wasn't too sure about. She shrugs. "You could try it. Whatever you make, though, I think he'll appreciate." And she sets a hopeful smile on her lips, a sincere gesture without teeth showing.

Ino returns the smile. "I think you're right."

For the rest of the school, random things were said with different feelings behind them. Some reactions more kind than others.

"What?! Itachi got sentenced for murder? Dude, who would've thought!" said one senior.

"Tch, serves the bastard right. I always knew something was wrong with Sasuke's older bro…" said the senior's friend.

"Aw, poor Itachi! I bet the guy was just confused and forced into it. He doesn't deserve this!" sympathizes one junior girl.

"Damn, it feels like we can't trust anyone these days!" exclaims one sophomore's older sibling whom he had texted. The older sibling knew Itachi from college.

"…Think Sasuke will join some gang because of this? Like he's been threatening to?" worries one of Sasuke's classmates.

"Actually, I think he's already tried. But who knows for sure? It's too troublesome to find out." Shikamaru responds to his worried peer.

…And that was merely the tip of the iceberg of the talk for the day.

The teachers tried their best to stop students from spreading this kind of information around, for fear of the wrong person overhearing it. That was the case for one conversation which caught Iruka Umino's ear:

"I wonder what'll happen with Sasuke now…"

"No man, more like: I wonder what'll happen with the Akatsuki now. Think about it: one of their members just got caught and sent to jail. They can't be too happy about that."

"How do you know that Itachi was in the Akatsuki?"

"Duh, everyone knows it; it's, like, common knowledge. I could name half the members in that group, in fact! Deidara, Kisame, Sasori, Hiden, Zetsu, Tobi, Pein is their leader, and then there's this chick with blue hair I saw once, and… that's all I can remember right now. Everyone else in it is pretty secretive, but those people I just named? They openly wear their black armbands with the red clouds on them. It's like Hitler and the Nazi signs, but more concentrated, y'know?"

Iruka reported this to Principal Tsunade. And she wasn't too happy about it. It meant some students knew more than they should, and that this one in particular might be working for one of the gangs. The chances were slim that he was, but you can never tell. So they brought those two teens in for a tiny chat. That ended with detention for after school that day. Why? They wanted to keep them safe and quiet. They didn't happen to work for either mafia, but the chances of someone working with the Akatsuki overhearing these boys and possibly wanting to do something to them for knowing to much was a risk Tsunade wasn't about to take. She had to protect her students for at least their parents' sakes.

However, – like when he found out about the events of Sasuke's and Ino's date – none of this talk seemed to affect Naruto very much. He and Kiba held a short discussion about it after hours that day when Naruto was secretly headed for the theatre to listen backstage for Gaara's audition for _Rent_.

"Man, no wonder Sasuke is so messed up. I had no idea that his whole family died that way, and by his own brother's hand! That really sucks," Kiba was saying.

The blonde shrugs. "I knew about his family's death, but I never thought it was Itachi who did it," he admits, cringing at the idea of it. He pauses for a moment. "Makes sense why Itachi wanted him to go to another school all this time: he was trying to get him out of the way so he didn't find out. Or maybe he was trying to protect him? Hell, who knows what Itachi was thinking. I just find it strange. And painful for Sasuke."

"Yeah, 'cause besides Sakura and me, he's your best friend," Kiba points out. "Even if… uh…"

"He used to like me. You can say it," Naruto grunts with the roll of his eyes.

"Right…" Kiba sweats, rubbing the back of his head. Suddenly, he grins. "Hey Naruto, where are you going, anyway?"

"Um… nowhere, you know? Just... walking around, avoiding going home," the other boy says quickly.

"Oh really? Then why are we headed for the theatre?"

"We are not."

Kiba makes a face and points to a sign on the wall above his head. 'Room 113, Auditorium'. "We're not, you say?"

Naruto snorts and hides his burning ears by turning his head. "So you caught me. I love musicals and wanted to hear the auditions, the horrible and great entries alike. Satisfied?" he lies, although it wasn't entirely false. He did want to hear auditions, he was only staying for one in particular: Resshin's.

"Hmm. Well, I think I'll join you; I like laughing at the sucky ones," Kiba smirks. He wasn't being mean; half of those 'sucky' ones are from people he knows and likes and is friends with. It's all in good fun. "Plus… Hinata's trying out for a part, and I want to support her."

Naruto looks intrigued. "Is she really?" he asks. _If her audition comes before Gaara's, maybe I can watch hers first and support her before sneaking backstage. _"Hey, I'll watch her audition, too. She'll need all the confidence she can get!"

"Knowing her, you're absolutely right," Kiba chuckles. Hinata tended to be self-conscious and shy, but Kiba knew for a fact that her singing voice was fantastic and she could really put her heart into her words, which is a major key point in acting.

Jokingly, Naruto leans closer to Kiba and winks. "You're really into her, aren't you? You guys have been dating forever, and you're not faltering like some guys would by now."

The red triangular paint marks on his cheeks suddenly blended in with the rest of his face. For once, the brunette was embarrassed. His blush faded as he turned his head. "Well, I'll admit I've crushed on her since we were kids, and I was jealous when she liked you and not me back in elementary school. But she's with me now and that's all that matters."

"Aw, you're in love with her, aren't you?" Naruto prods, his face turning fox-like in expression.

"N-no…" Kiba tries to lie, but Naruto sees with the way he stutters and doesn't look him in the eye that it's a lie. Kiba _is_ in love with Hinata.

"If you say so, buddy!" the blonde chuckles, giving Kiba a hearty slap on the back.

"Let's get in there already," Kiba mutters out. He felt utterly humiliated.

"Sure," the other boy agrees, and the two stroll in and take a seat in the theatre's many movie seats (minus the cup-holders, since food wasn't allowed in here. One less mess for the janitor to clean up!).

"This is going to be good," Kiba grins, watching the Drama Club participants and other students who want in on this play skittering about in front of the stage.

"Totally," Naruto returns softly, thinking of Gaara. Hmm, what would the redhead do if he saw his hurricane in the audience? Because Naruto decided to stay and watch every terrible and wonderful performance from this spot in the back of the auditorium. Including Gaara's.

o0o0o0o0o

Meanwhile, things did not look good for Sasuke. The Akatsuki was holing a meeting, bright orange-haired and piercing-faced Pein at the head. He opened his mouth and scowled as he said: "Itachi got locked up in the Big House. Anyone know how one of my top members got sent away?"

Kisame cleared his throat, his shark-like full body tattoos rippling on his neck as though he had real gills. "I know how, Master Pein. My partner got sent there by his younger sibling, Sasuke Uchiha. Somehow the brat found out about Itachi's killing spree of his family a few years back."

"Oh?" Pein inquires, a disgusting smirk appearing on his face that meant foul deeds lay ahead.

Kisame nodded, his dark blue-dyed hair bouncing on the top of his head for a moment. Next to him, Deidara grunted. "So what should we do with this runt, un? Should we kill him?"

"That would seem fitting, but no. It'd be an easy escape. We don't want to let him off the hook with death… we want him to learn a lesson," Pein says arrogantly, that smirk eating up his entire face. His eyes flicker over to Zetsu. "Would you like to do the honors of spying on him? We need some information to determine the best method of… teaching." The word was used with a laugh, as though this was a full-sized board game to him. "After all, you're the stealthiest of us all; I guess that's what we get when we have a recruit who works at a greenhouse and owns a pet chameleon." Laughter followed this statement, with the exception of Sasori and Zetsu.

But he agrees. "I'll spy on him, Master Pein."

"Good." A pause. "Well, now that that issue is settled, we can adjourn." And they departed.

Deidara clicked his tongue as he walked out of the center meeting room of their hideout. He threw up his hair in a high half-ponytail, his black-painted fingernails and peach fingers weaving around and around until the ponytail was held tightly in place. "Stupid Itachi. I should've known he'd mess up, un."

Sasori shrugs. "It can't be helped."

"Tobi thinks this Sasuke kid will get beat real bad for turning his brother in!" says Madara, still pretending to be an idiot not related to the Uchiha Clan. The lone reason why they allowed him to join the group was for his fighting skills. He was valuable with those assets. Other than his fighting, though, he was the oddball of the Akatsuki.

Deidara bonks him on the head, nearly knocking his swirled mask off his face. "Shut up, Tobi! Nobody cares what you think, un."

"Wahh, don't hit Tobi, Dei-senpai! Tobi is a good boy!"

"More like a 'good for nothing'…" Deidara mutters coldly. For such a feminine-looking person, Deidara was cruel.

The short redhead between them rolls his eyes. He draws out an action figure and messes with it's limbs.

Unknown to the ANBU, he wasn't stuffing them full of explosives or weaponry, but instead with vials of poison that he could activate at any time. It was part of their plan: for the thousands of people who buy his little toys, each is holding a potential end to their bodies. The only way to stop the poison's effects? Get the antidote. An the Akatsuki won't give it freely, either; the reversal comes at a price. They'll have those hundreds of thousands of citizens across the country on their knees for the antidote. That equals big cash for them.

Diabolical? Naturally. It's how the Akatsuki does business.

* * *

**A/N: don't worry about that poison plan. it's a dead end plan. Kankurou's goign to figure it out before it happens and he's going to tell the police and yadda yadda. it'll be a small event, so don't fret over it. what you SHOULD be focused on is Sasuke, Gaara, and Naruto. not even Lee. just those three boys. why? Sasuke's in deeper shit than he's ever imagined, and Naruto and Gaara are goign to get sucked into it somehow. plus, the next chapter holds the audition (full of NaruGaa fluff), and later on, the events following the play's premiere (with even more fluff). so yeah... **

**and OMFG, everyone, Gaara admitted to himself that he lieks Naruto. that's a big step for the over-analyzing redhead. XD ...other than that fact, though, i think this is a sucky chapter, even if the Akatsuki meeting was kinda fun (to write). it's like... filler. a lead-up to colossal amounts of action and fluff. yes, that's right, "action". as in, Sasuke's little "life lesson" from the Akatsuki. in the words of Kiba from this chapter, "this is going to be good..."**


	27. Chapter 26: Enlightening Stupor

**A/N: look! i'm alive! and i bring you 5,076 words (according to FF.n) of DB goodness! more foreshadowing. like a filler chapter, sorry. but hey, Gaara sings, so be happy. :3**

**current playlist for writing this chapter: Staind, SR-71, Goo Goo Dolls, Switchfoot, and P.O.D. - a weird combo, i know. but it felt right.**

**side note: if you're wondering why i chose _Rent_ as a play for their high school to preform, it's quite simple: Rent deals with homosexuality, AIDS, and the like. its charming and real and just felt right. my second choice, however, was _Rocky Horror Picture Show_, since i love the music ('Time Warp' and 'Sweet Transvestite being my top favs) and slightly creepy feel of it.**

* * *

Chapter 26: Enlightening Stupor

Sakura and Ino made a giant mess in the Home Ec. kitchen as they rummaged for leftover ingredients and made their pie. Luckily for them, the teacher was still in the building after hours, and decided to help them piece it together. She was a kind, rugged-voiced older woman named Chiyo, who was a retired doctor from the Suna hospital.

"Oops! You got some whip cream on your nose there, dearie," Chiyo chuckled and offered Ino a paper towel to wipe it off with. But the blonde merely smiled and swiped at her nose with her finger, licking it afterwards. This made the elderly woman laugh even more. "So, girls, are you making this pie for someone special, for just for the heck of it?"

"A friend of ours got some bad news, so we're going to cheer him up," Sakura explains with a smile. She liked this woman. Why wasn't she in Home Economics? It'd be great to cook stuff with Chiyo. She seemed very… down to earth. And she liked playing pranks. Twice already she made Sakura think she had something on her face, and when Sakura went to wipe at the imaginary 'it', she got chocolate on her cheeks.

"_Him_? Sounds to me like he's more than a friend," Chiyo hints. She sprinkles chocolate flakes on top of the pie. She passed the raspberry sauce to Ino to drizzle over the top and around the plate.

Ino giggles as she takes the berry sauce. "Yeah, it's kinda my boyfriend, but he's an old friend of Sakura's, too."

While Ino's arm glides back and forth to scale thin ruby red lines across the pie, Chiyo smiles. "Do I know this 'him'? Is he in one of my classes?" she asks teasingly. It didn't even have a prying appeal.

"Nah, he's not in Home Ec., but you might know him anyway. Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura tells her with a lick of her thumb. Tastes like bitter cocoa powder...

"You mean the gloomy boy with a whacky hairstyle?"

Ino and Sakura laugh at the elderly woman's description. "Yeah, that's him," the bleach blonde informs.

Chiyo nods and cuts the pie to pardon Sasuke from cutting it himself. "Thought so. By golly, that boy has been through a lot. I read in the paper this morning about his brother…" She pauses to shake her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's so sad. What's the world coming to these days? What with all the technology and the killings and the mafias… it's madness compared to what I grew up with, or what my mother grew up with, and so on."

Sakura agrees. She identifies with everything this woman is saying, because she sees it all happening. "But it's not all so bad," she offers.

Ino jabs Chiyo gently in the side. "Yup. I mean, look at us: full of love and baking for our man. Like the good old days." And she laughs, the pink-haired teen and the silver-haired woman laughing right along with her.

"Well, here's your pie; now get out of my classroom and go cheer up that…" and she struggles for the right word.

"Emo kid?" Sakura suggests, and Chiyo looks puzzled while Ino snorts and slaps Sakura on the arm.

"He's not emo; simply a bit down in the dumps," his fateful girlfriend says between giggles.

Her friend shrugs. She turns to Chiyo, giving her a tiny head bow. "Thanks for helping us! I think I'm going to join this class next week in place of my study hall; if you have any openings, that is."

"I always do, Miss Haruno. Feel free to drop by at any time to sign up," Chiyo winks, her wrinkles crinkling happily.

And off to Sasuke's house they went with their basket of goodies, made of concern and baked into a treat.

o0o0o0o0o

Finally, Sasuke was able to get an idea into his thick skull. After having Sakura and Ino visit him with a pie in hand – even getting a personal note from a few of his classmates in a card Ino had made a bunch of people sign – his eyes were opened. He knew these people, and has for years now. Sakura has always been by his side, to whip him into shape and make him laugh. Naruto has always been there, too, to the point where he knew the blonde inside and out, and the blonde knew him in the same way. Ino has admired him since she laid eyes on him, and along with her childhood friends Chouji and Shikamaru, he's gotten to know all different kinds of people. Through Naruto, too, since he was one of the more popular people on the school. Everyone knew Naruto's name, whether Naruto liked it or not.

And because of that, Sasuke realizes: he's been so focused on his best friend since he returned to Konoha that he hasn't much time for anything else. Now that justice was served for his parents, he was left feeling less angry. Less resentful. Less cold. It hurt him that it was his older brother, but the hurt was a dull one, nothing but a shadow coating a corner of his heart and mind. But as for the shadowed parts? They're liberated. He shouldn't be concentrating all of his pent-up emotions towards Naruto and Gaara; he should be crushing them beneath his feet and building new emotions with his friends. He was almost 18 years old! And he's excelling pretty high on the school ladder, sure, but his social ladder needs tending to. Everyone likes his dark, mysterious demeanor with a touch of bad boy, so he was popularly known, but he wasn't _interacting_.

Time to go to a crazy high school party complete with a drug room, a keg, and overly loud music! Possible couples in the closet or vacant bedrooms… you know the drill. Perfect spot to interact, so long as he watches how much he drinks.

Ha, hooking up with Naruto seemed petty now. They're best friends… and he's already ruined their closeness countless times. Why hurt it more with this charade? Naruto can only forgive him so many times; at one point, he might dump Sasuke as a relation. …Which is something the Uchiha would not be able to withstand.

He still loved Naruto… but not obsessively any longer. Someday the love may dissolve down to the love Naruto gave him, the brotherly sort. Someday. For now it was an unrequited crush, and Sasuke was fine with that. He was _actually okay_ with that fact.

Sasuke grinned to his bathroom mirror. He had this big house… why not host the party himself? Invite the whole junior and senior portion of the school, which is basically everyone he knew. He'll share the idea with Ino this Friday on their date. It should be fun.

Wait. His date… that reminds him: Sasuke will have to break up with Ino. He won't tell her about the original jealousy plan, because she'll be furious and distressed, and Sakura might kick his ass for hurting Ino like that. Yeah, it's best he not tell her that part. He'll just break it off gently and later on, so she'll be less hurt. That should work, right? Pfft, of 'course it will.

o0o0o0o0o

Hinata stepped lightly as she moved across the stage, miming the situations the Drama Club teacher instructed her to perform. It was one of those tests to see how well you do without props, and if someone could still tell what you were doing without them. Her indigo locks swayed around the frame of her face as she turned this way and that.

Beside Naruto, he heard Kiba crack up. He turns and sees a particular twinkle in Kiba's eyes. Kiba wasn't laughing **at** her… he was laughing **for** her. Because she can't stumble or stutter while trying out for a part in the play. So he was being nervous for her. Not only that, but he was grinning, because he was watching her movements and loving every single one. Kiba truly loved her, didn't he?

Naruto admired that. He admired Kiba's commitment and small gestures and sparkling eyes. It was something he wanted… and hoped for with Gaara. Could they be like that? Could their relationship hold as fast and strong as Kiba's and Hinata's? The Uzumaki boy had faith that it could. After all, his dreams pointed in that direction. Two souls, birds or otherwise, that loved each other even after death and through rebirth? That's strength in a relationship; _real_ strength.

Iruka Umino happened to be the instructor while Hinata acted; he was filling in for the normal leader of the Theatre, the Language Arts teacher whom had been pregnant and was currently at home taking care of her baby. So for Konoha High's production of _Rent_, Iruka shall be taking her place.

"That was wonderful, Miss Hyuuga. Now, why don't you sing something for us?" the man prompts.

"Do… do I really have to?" she asks shyly, her fingers pointing together. She clearly was experiencing stage fright. Aw, poor Hina-chan. Singing must be something she isn't too confident about…

Gently, Iruka smiles and insists. "Yes. It's a musical, so there is singing involved."

"R-right…" Hinata mutters. She clears her throat, her high voice making a rippling effect sounding similar to a wind chime. "I'll sing 'White Flag' by Dido."

The second she started the first chorus, Naruto was expecting a squeak or some other nervous noise, possibly her voice breaking on a note or even her memory slipping out from under her at the lyrics. And yet… none of that occurred. Hinata sang half the song (Iruka had to cut her off then for time reasons) and did it beautifully. Her voice was high and sweet. Angelic. It carried into the audience and swirled around, weaving in and out of everyone's ears like soft threads of yarn being made into a scarf.

"Dude, Kiba, I had no idea your girl could sing like that. Where has she been hiding that voice of hers?" Naruto jokes, but meant the compliment wholeheartedly.

Slowly, the brunette turns to him. "Huh?"

Naruto laughs. _Seems like Kiba was drawn into the song and is in a daze. Better fix that._ He spots an empty coffee cup on the floor, complete with plastic lid. "Oi, Kiba, look out! Burning hot cappuccino coming your way!" and he throws the empty, used cup at his friend, causing the other boy to jerk into attention.

He sputters and tried to dodge it, but of 'course it hits him square on the head. Kiba scowls. "What the hell was that for, Naruto?!"

The blonde grins stupidly. "Oh, no reason…"

Kiba punches him in the arm. "Hinata's cousin is next. Let's see how good he does," the brunette remarks, trying to change the subject. He knows he was caught drooling.

Naruto snickers at Kiba's attempt of redirecting their attention. "Alright." He leans back, waits for Neji to appear, and prepares to enjoy the show.

But Neji didn't audition next. He was to try out later on. Instead, a different boy strode on stage, his eyes never leaving contact with the blank stares of the minimum crowd of audience. His eyes were rimmed in black, his school uniform top was missing since it was passed class hours, and this boy looked all too familiar.

This boy auditioning now – who _wasn't_ Neji – is the reason why Naruto came to the auditorium today.

"Okay, so, how should we start this off? Should we go straight to the singing? I think so. Then you can act out a thing or two for me. Okay?" Iruka nodded to the boy on stage.

Gaara shrugged. He didn't care, he wanted to audition and be done with it. Whatever order the teacher made him do things, he'd be in favor of.

Though Naruto couldn't see it from his angle, he heard a smile in the teacher's next words. "Let's get started then, shall we? Sing a few verses of something for us, something that you think compliments and shows off your voice."

Naruto watched as the redhead over a dozen meters away from him nodded and shifted his weight between his feet. And Naruto listened as the same redhead cleared his throat and hummed to himself for a moment. Then, Naruto blinked, his heart racing. If Gaara sounded so… (_What's a good word for it?_ Naruto puzzled) …**lovely** when reading a poem, what would he sound like while signing? Imagining such a thing was impossible. Because what Naruto heard next… was impossible to describe upon hearing, let alone try to pre-hear in your mind.

Gaara's voice was like the bird Resshin's, in a way that it was strong and beautiful like a winged creature's song. The actual song that Gaara had chosen was something Naruto easily recognized, but it sounded completely changed. Maybe because it was missing the instrumental music, maybe because it was lacking the original artist's voice, but whatever the reason, Naruto was hearing this song in a new light.

The way his earthquake sang it… it was like a real earthquake was trembling his heart and shattering his thoughts. He's never heard a voice this crystal-clear, this melodic, this rich and low. Not extremely low, mind you, but low and… calming. The tune seemed to have slowed an ounce to match Gaara's vocal cords.

"When you look at the world  
What is it that you see?  
People find all kinds of things  
That bring them to their knees  
I see an expression  
So clear and so true  
That it changes the atmosphere  
When you walk into the room

"So I try to be like you  
Try to feel it like you do  
But without you it's no use  
I can't see what you see  
When I look at the world

"When the night is someone else's  
And you're trying to get some sleep  
When your thoughts are too expensive  
To ever want to keep  
When there's all kinds of chaos  
And everyone is walking lame  
You don't even blink now, do you?  
Or even look away…"

…_Why does it sound like he's singing to __**me**__?_ Naruto's thoughts echoed in a brief passing.

Iruka snaps his fingers, like the clapping they do at beat poetry readings. The rest of the auditorium follows, except for Naruto. He's much too stuck in a daze like Kiba had been while listening to Hinata. If it's someone you're in love with, then perhaps a song in that person's voice can mess with you.

"U2," the technology teacher says, "Is one of my favorite groups. And that's a great song; from their CD All That You Can't Leave Behind, am I right? Man, I haven't listened to that CD in a long time. I better go dig it up when this is all through," and he chuckles. "Now, about the acting portion… mime your routine for getting up in the morning, will you?"

The song had been 'When I Look at the World'; one song Naruto unmistakably remembers being one of his mother's favorites. Come to think of it, Gaara had mentioned back in one of his very first letters that he liked U2's music, and even then it had vaguely reminded Naruto of Kushina Uzumaki. But now it was like a flood of memories were storming in, and he embraced them with a smile.

There was no doubt in his mind: Gaara is _definitely _someone he's fallen in love with. All he had to do was get Gaara to think something along those lines in return, and maybe he had 'going steady' material. All he had to do was collect the pieces and put everything together.

And things would come together soon enough. Although not in the way Naruto expected. For trouble was about to arrive, and it will leave Sasuke and the Akatsuki to blame.

o0o0o0o0o

Things got rolling quickly. First, Zetsu slipped onto the school grounds. Second, he swiped clothes with a janitor. Third, he stole the janitor's keys and list of lockers/owners to find Sasuke Uchiha's. It wasn't hard; the raven-haired boy's locker was recently added due to his transfer, and was in an easy-to-find location. Using the keys, Zetsu popped Sasuke's locker open and began to rummage. There, in the back of an agenda planner, were a handful of pictures glued in a hodge-podge on the inner back cover. Sasuke must not like to be openly sentimental. It was odd to think he was sentimental to begin with. Sasuke Uchiha has a soft spot? It seemed preposterous. Yet there was the proof, right in Zetsu's hands. He smirked at the blonde boy that resided in nearly every picture. He was someone close to Sasuke. And that's all the information Zetsu needed for now.

o0o0o0o0o

Information happened to be one thing Gaara lacked and Sasuke had too much of. Because the next day, everyone in the hallways were muttering things to one another, the girls giggling and the guys slapping their knees with taunting laughter. Gaara glanced around, wondering what the hell was going on, and Sasuke knew all too well.

As for Sasuke, it made him want to explode and beat up an elementary student. For a while, Sasuke's epiphany was forgotten and he was plain pissed. Naruto had kissed Gaara? He was the one to make a move first? Was his jealousy attempt completely in vain? Apparently so. Sasuke grit his teeth and ignored Naruto for the rest of the day, his logic now to give the blonde the cold shoulder for a while.

How did he find out? Well, Lee leaked to Sakura because she was concerned about him being seemingly less cheerful. So she asked. Naturally, Sakura couldn't help but tell her best friend Ino, but Ino blabbed to practically the entire school. A boy kissing another boy is big gossip-worthy news for Konoha High.

Gaara was oblivious to the gossip. He was more concerned on whether or not his eyes had deceived him yesterday afternoon when he thought Naruto had been in the audience. It tickled him in the queerest manner to think someone who's beginning to carve into his heart to would be listening to him sing. He wasn't used to opening up to people, and even though he sings in front of miscellaneous faces in the crowd in every theatrical production the school does, he's never narrowed it down to one specific face, one certain person. Because if Naruto had been in that audience, he'll surely be in it again when the final show begins. And this would leave Gaara thinking of only one person, one face, the entire time he preformed. It'd be like Naruto was the sole person in the theatre… and if it came to that, Gaara knew he'd perform half his best due to nerves. Not a comforting thought.

…Perhaps he should focus on reading the list of who made it into the show firsthand before he jumped to conclusions.

But there it was, his name printed as one of the leading male roles. Just swell. Now what? Confront Naruto and ask if he was present in the theatre after school yesterday? Maybe try to ward him off from the final performance with lame excuses?

Gaara sighed. _I can be really stupid sometimes. Of 'course trying to ward him off wasn't work; he's proven ten times over how persistent he is. But as for asking him… I see no harm in that. I may get a mini panic attack if he says yes, but that's just me. For him, it's a basic question. _

Out of thin air, Naruto appears a few meters away.

_Speak of the devil and he shall appear, _Gaara thinks with a shake of the head. He makes a hand motion to signal his blonde peer. Naruto flashes him a grin in return, coming to temporarily walk alongside him to class.

Class seemed hardly the issue. He's going to have to work hard to finish his homework if he's expected to juggle between his new role in the play and his new job. And juggle spending time with Naruto, which as of late seems to be all he _wants_ to do. Stupid teenage hormones… Plus, he felt compelled to spend time with the blonde. It was like that kiss drew them closer, made their bond subtly stronger, and confused Gaara evermore. Because he remembers something: in one of his bird dreams, right after he had stood Naruto up on their official meeting, he had told Naruto's representation that he wouldn't abandon him again.

"So, did you get a part in _Rent_?" Naruto wants to know. "Like Mark, or Tom, or Roger? I think you'd make a good Angel…" he adds in a joking tone. Gaara shoots him a glare; Angel is a gay drag queen who sings in a tenor/falsetto. Make a good Angel? No way in hell. Neji might be good for that part… his hair's long enough to look like a drag queen, and he can sing high if he tries.

"I got cast as Tom Collins," Gaara says simply. "And how did you know I tried out for the play?" The question is a test. Call it being passive aggressive, but it works. Kind of like reverse psychology.

Naruto ignores the question, however. He starts cracking up. Oh, the quirk of fate of the role; he even stressed the word that made it so. "You're a **gay **philosophy teacher with AIDS?"

The redhead sighs, feeling terribly tempted to roll his eyes. "Yes, that's what describes Tom's character."

"Don't you have to be a baritone for that role? You sound more like to be a low level, like bass or something…" Naruto rambles as he approaches his destined classroom.

Finally, proof that Naruto watched him audition. Somehow, the proof made Gaara feel sick. "How would you know what I sing like?" he asks slowly.

He watches as the blonde's face turns a shade paler. "Um… er… I… uh…" Naruto glances away after failing to come up with a reasonable excuse. For future reference, a smart lie would have been: 'Kiba went to the auditions to support Hinata, but told me about yours since he was there to see it, too.'

"You were at the auditions," Gaara states. There's no denying it now.

Naruto makes a noise somewhere between a giving-up sort of sigh and a squeak of protest. "Yeah, I was. Does that bother you?"

Gaara was surprised to hear the concern in Naruto's voice. He blinks once. "It does, actually," he says lowly, trying to hold back the tiny blush of embarrassment from his cheeks. The emotion was new to Gaara, and it seems it only came about when his e-pal was present. He notices that they're in front of Naruto's next class now. He stops dead in front of the blonde, staring him down. "Do me a favor," he grinds out in a staid tone. "Don't come to any rehearsals, and don't show up at the performance."

The hurricane blinks. "What…?" He frowns at Gaara as he places his hands on his hips. "Why not?"

In turn, Gaara crosses his arms over his chest. "Because I don't want you there."

Naruto's heart stops for a second. _He… doesn't want me? But I thought things changed after I kissed him! What the hell is going on?_ _Why is he being like this? …Why is he acting like we're enemies again? _"Hey, Gaara, c'mon…" he tries, feeling disheartened.

"You're going to be late," is all he says in reply. Then, he walks into the sea of students rushing to their next period.

You already know why Gaara doesn't want Naruto there. Poor Naruto had no clue. So, a plan formed in his mind. _Fine, you don't want to see me in the audience, then you won't. I'll go in disguise. _How he's going to manage to pull that off, he didn't know, but he'd figure something out. He's going to watch that play… even if it killed him. How else was he supposed to unravel Gaara's secrets? Unless you've forgotten, that was his resolved 'new goal'. And he was going to accomplish it, by thunder.

His spirits back in the sky where they belong, Naruto strolls in his 3rd period class, his technology teacher's face in it's usual cheery beam. "Morning, Naruto! How's my favorite pupil?"

Naruto cracks a grin. "Am I your favorite, really? I thought you liked all your students equally."

Iruka chuckles. "Well, you're my favorite after I graded your recent assignment." He turns to his desk and slips a stapled packet of paper from his desk. "Here, take a look. It's the highest grade in this class."

Naruto glances over his essay assignment to find a giant 98 percent scrolled in red at the top of the page. Nearly an A plus. "Whoa! I didn't think I'd do that good on it! I let my fingers do what they wanted… I didn't know it's actually amount to anything."

More chuckling on Iruka's part. "Well, now you see how sometimes giving things a try can lead to better events than you expected." He brings a finger up, as if to say, 'eureka'. "Which reminds me! I have everyone's Faceless-and-Nameless grade scale sheets to dish out. Yours is somewhere in the top of this pile…" He scratches his scalp through his short, tight ponytail. He waves a hand. "Go sit down, Naruto, and I'll give it to you when it shows up."

"Okay," the blonde replies with a brief smile. Faceless-and-Nameless… it wasn't that long ago, but it feels like it. A lot has happened since those e-mails. _So much_. Every event was good, too. _But… Gaara just now…_ Naruto frowns and shakes his head. _Something's up. I can sense it._

"Here it is, Naruto," Iruka says behind him. He hands the teen a half sheet of paper.

- - -

**FACELESS AND NAMELESS GRADING SCALE**

**COOPERATION (EFFORT) …………………………………………. **_25_**/25  
****PARTICPATION (MULTIPLE E-MAILS) …………………………. **_25_**/25  
****COMMUNICATION (POLITE, CONVERSATIONAL LETTERS) ………… **_25_**/25  
****TIME SPENT (WENT THE FULL MONTH)…………………………………. **_25_**/25  
****HEART (PERSONAL QUESTIONS) ………………………………………….. **_25_**/25  
****NAMELESS (SIGNED PENNAME, NO HINT OF IDENTITY) ……………. **_25_**/25**

**OVERALL: **_150_**/150**

**TEACHER'S NOTES: **_I was glad things turned out as well as they did. It seems you and your 'Resshin' followed all the rules, and accomplished the general goal. You two did the best out of everyone in the junior class, I think. I'm very proud of you both.  
__Can you show this to Gaara for me? I only made one copy of a few grading scales by mistake. _

- - -

A wide grin stretches ear to ear, causing his whisker-shaped scars to vanish on his cheeks. Naruto sends a thumbs-up to his teacher, whom nods with a smile of his own in return. But it fades when he remembers how Gaara had spoken to him, almost coldly, saying he doesn't want Naruto at the school's opening night for _Rent_. His face twists up like a dirty rag after washing a floor by hand. Why must that redhead be so confusing? Naruto sighs and turns to open the internet explorer and check his youtube account. He uploaded a video the other night and wanted to see if there were nay new comments. There were three, and he replied to each one. All of them positive, luckily.

Elsewhere…

Sasuke huffed out a sigh and scribbled mindlessly on the corner of his quiz. He was finished early as per usual. He stewed in his frustration of the rumor about Naruto kissing Gaara. All the while, however, he got the feeling that he was being watched. He assumed it was a classmate of his; after all, he's crushed on by a lot of girls, and perhaps a few guys. And he knows that.

Little did Sasuke know it was not a peer of his that was watching him.

Not too far off, Zetsu was perched in some shrubbery with binoculars. He grumbles something about having to spy on rich emo brats, coupled with a snort as an afterthought. He had to 'spy' on the 'rich emo brat', though; he needed information on Sasuke's daily schedule, his habits, and the like. Stalker-like it may be, it's the only way to get up close and personal with the enemy that turned in one of their top gang members.

Zetsu grunted as he recorded the detail of Sasuke's contorted face. Something was bothering him. Which made things all the more easy for Zetsu to carry out the Akatsuki's orders. How, you ask? Simply because it means Sasuke will be distracted while the Akatsuki does their busy work on destroying him. Revenge is sweet for the Akatsuki.

"Sasuke Uchiha… you should have died along with everyone else in your clan. Why you were spared, I have no idea. But now you'll pay. You don't mess with the Akatsuki, not in the least." Zetsu whispers as he wipes the black and white camouflage makeup from his face. It's meant to look like lights and shadows. He stands and takes his things with him, ready for a break. But he'll be back.

They always come back. The Akatsuki is like a viper that way. They retract only to strike once more. Venomous and treacherous, without an ounce of pity or remorse in their hearts. Except for one member. And he happens to be rotting away in his new jail cell.

* * *

**A/N: CHANGE IN PLANS! the original next chapter, "A Letter A Day While Gaara Is Away" (a pun on 'an apple a day keep the doctor at bay/away') is being pushed forward to chapter 28. the REAL Next chapter is: "All Mixed Up"**


	28. Chapter 27: All Mixed Up

**A/N: no, i am not listening to Faith Hill right now. no, i am not in the process of making three NarutoXGaara AMVs using Goo Goo Dolls music. no, i am not changing the supposed-to-be title of this chapter ("A Letter A Day While Gaara Is Away") to chapter 28. and i am certainly not overly happy about the ending scene at a not Halloween party. also, i'm not hinting that the next chapter is full of fluff and danger. nor am i mentioning how logn this chapter turned out to be (about 7,000 words).**

**nope, none of that at all. what made you think i was doing any of those things? :0**

* * *

Chapter 27: All Mixed Up

The Uchiha Clan Estate felt empty now that it was in Sasuke's lone custody. And it felt worse because he was home from school and in a bad mood. He's finally able to express his raw emotions without being seen by his fellow juniors, but in a echoing abode. How depressing.

"Fucking Gaara. What does Naruto see in him, anyway?" He slams a few things around, mostly pillows from the couch. They plunk down hard, making soft _poof_-ing noises and thuds, yet the sounds don't quite fulfill his needs. "I mean, why did he have to go and kiss him for? And right behind my back, too! Just when I thought…" Sasuke pauses. When he thought **what**? That he could go about being Naruto's friend without obsessively crushing on him? He should've know better. His nature is to obsess over the emotions of his teenaged body, like getting revenge for his parents and family or being attracted to someone enough to do anything to have that person, or to have his revenge. There's a word for that; it's called being _possessive._ Sasuke realizes this, and mentally slaps himself. "Shit, I'm a compulsive, possessive bastard. Great; it's like how I've always dreamed I'd grow up." He shakes his head. Who should he blame? His brother, his family's death, Naruto, Gaara, or himself?

In the end, he was left with himself to blame. Being home alone at this very moment proved that. Gaara never did anything directly to him (at least not without good reason; he did provoke Gaara to punch him silly that one day at Kohl's…), Naruto has always been his friend despite all the circumstances, his family didn't mean to die and leave him stranded, and his brother had spared his life.

Hold up. His brother had spared his life? Had he really, or was it sheer lack of opportunity that saved Sasuke from death's clutches?

Sasuke mulled this over as he straightened up the pillows he threw and couch cushions before taking a seat. "Come to think of it, Itachi was trying to tell me something before I ran out the door to tell Kyuubi and Naruto what had happened," he recalls, although tried not to think about where Naruto had actually been while he said the murderous information to Naruto's uncle. (_Which had been in Gaara's arms,_ Sasuke bet. _During a fucking kiss…_)

What had Itachi been about to say?

He had sounded so sincere that day in court when he was dragged away. 'I'm sorry it had to be this way, little brother…'

Was he _really_ sorry?

"Dammit, I'm reading too far into this," Sasuke grumbles.

With an exasperated sigh, he stands form the couch and heads for the kitchen. Comfort food was in need. He pulls the girl's pie from the fridge and plunks a slice onto a plate, digging out a fork and taking an eager bite. He hadn't admitted it to them, but this tasted like heaven to him. He adored dark chocolate, and the rich accent of raspberry was a nice compliment to the bitter sweetness.

Humming idly to himself, Sasuke head for his computer. Maybe he'd send Naruto an e-mail, or check to see if the dobe was on instant messenger. Plus, he'd like to check his Facebook. MySpace is for wannabe chumps, he always says.

Tch, Naruto's not online, unless he's invisible (_again_). And another chain letter comment from Shino on his Facebook. Poor guy doesn't know when to stop sending them… must be a cry for attention or something. Sasuke rolls his eyes and shakes his head, proceeding to take another delectable bite of pie. He opens a new message screen and stares at it for a moment. What should be say to Naruto? For all he's concerned, Sasuke doesn't like him anymore, and they're just friends. If only Sasuke's heart would agree with that statement.

Licking his finger of whip cream, Sasuke types an e-mail. An idea sparks in his mind. Why not invite Naruto – as well as others – to his mansion-like home this weekend for a Halloween bash? The holiday was coming up rather soon, and he said he needed a distraction like a chaotic house party. So why not do it this way? He can forward the e-mail to just about everyone in his grade. That should do the trick.

Halloween reminded Sasuke: in about a month or two to come, right before Christmas, the production of _Rent_ by his school would be playing. Funny how time flies; by that time, Itachi would have been in prison for three months. It's kind of mind-blowing to think of the future…

So he stopped thinking about it and enjoyed his pie and planned for this weekend.

o0o0o0o0o

_From: DarkAvenger(at)comcast(dot)net  
__To:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com, Cherry-Blossom-Ripple(at)comcast(dot)net, FuzzyBrowsAttack(at)yahoo(dot)com, Cloudwatcher-Shadowtacker(at)hotmail(dot)com, FattyMcLarge(at)yahoo(dot)com, OceanEyedGurl(at)hotmail(dot)com, Sharpie45(at)comcast(dot)net, violetblush(at)yahoo(dot)com, BeetleJuice514(at)hotmail(dot)com, HyuugaMan(at)yahoo(dot)com, InuzukaHowl(at)comcast(dot)net  
__**Subject: **__FWD: Halloween bash this Saturday_

_Everyone –_

_Saturday at dusk I'm having a Halloween bash.  
__Dress in costumes, any kind.  
__Bring whatever you like, and leave getting the keg to me.  
__There'll be pop and pizza as well, and I'll set up my Xbox and Wii to play whatever.  
__I'm hiring a DJ, unless any of you want to volunteer.  
__Forward this to anyone you can think of; I want a full house._

_Since I have this estate to myself, I might as well trash it, right? _

_Sasuke_

Naruto frowns up at his computer screen, which currently displayed this letter. It was kind of perplexing… Why does Sasuke all of a sudden want to host a party? He was never the type to party in the past. Kiba is someone Naruto would expect this from, not Sasuke.

With a shrug, Naruto forwarded it to everyone on his contact list that wasn't listened in the original sent list. One of those people included Gaara, but at the moment Naruto forgot all about Sasuke's dislike of the redhead.

Plus, the excitement of the event began to pump through his veins, distracting him. Should he cosplay as an anime character? Should he go as a movie villain? Should he be something from his childhood, like a Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle or a comic book hero? Actually, being one of the TMNT sounded good to him. Mikey especially; he's the funny one and wears friggin' orange! How can Naruto resist orange?

Nodding to himself about his costume choice (and not caring if anyone else gets the brilliant idea to be Michelangelo), he clicked 'send'. Panning over to iTunes, he selected a playlist at random. Techno music, something rare of Naruto to listen to, filled the air surrounding his bedroom. He bopped his heel in time with the beat, smiling about what happened less than an hour ago when school ended.

Naruto had been headed for the parking lot for his bike (still weary of cars, it seems) when he spotted Gaara marching towards the theatre. "Oi, Gaara, wait up!" he had called to the other boy.

Gaara had stood still and turned slowly as Naruto approached him, a strange look on his face. "Need something?" he had asked.

In return, the blonde had nodded, yanking a piece of paper from his pocket. "Mr. Umino wanted me to share this with you," he told him. He held out the page to Gaara to take.

When he had handed Gaara the Faceless-and-nameless grading scale, the strangest thing happened; it was like that day over a month ago…

"_You see something you like?"_

"_Er… no," _Naruto retorted with a huff as he leans back and adjusted himself in his chair.

Gaara's eyes bore into him._ "Then don't stare; it's rude."_

Kakashi had plopped a stack of graded papers on his desk. His head jerked up as he glanced at his teacher._ "Huh?"_

"_Pass these out, Uzumaki. Unless you rather have everyone wait until their next report cards to see their grade."_

"_Oh, um, sure…" _The very top paper had been Gaara's_. "Here," _he said lowly between clenched teeth. For the faintest fraction of a moment, their hands brushed at the knuckles when Naruto let go of the paper. The contact was small, but in that second Gaara's muscles tensed all over his body. When Naruto had walked away to give the next graded paper, he had puzzled over the redhead's reaction. He had wondered if it was out of hate.

But this time, as he gave Gaara a different graded work of their combined effort, he felt a spark and watched Gaara's ears pinken as their fingers made contact.

Ever since that new reaction, Naruto's been wondering what Gaara's true reasons were for saying he didn't want him at the play. Was it out of hate like that day in chemistry? Or did he tense and try to ward Naruto away out of some other emotion? The blonde would like to think so.

Naruto grins and stands from his computer's desk chair. Whatever the reason, maybe it means he can ask Gaara to Sasuke's party. Like a date. But a real one that actually ends nicely. Who knows, maybe he can get Gaara to go as a different Ninja Turtle… like, say, Rafael? Raf's the tough one in the group, and his eyemask is red; just like Gaara's hair. It would be interesting to see them dressed like those two, since they're polar opposite individuals. Come to think of it, he and Gaara are polar opposities as well. Perhaps that's why they attract so effortlessly, like magnets. Which is why he won't give up on his crush, even if Gaara's words stung him earlier today.

Content for the time being, Naruto stretches and plops himself down on his bed to do some homework. That's when Sakura calls.

Picking up the phone before Kyuubi can, Naruto clicks the gizmo on and greets the girl on his caller ID. "'S up, Sakura?"

"Did you get Sasuke's e-mail?" she asks, her voice oozing with eagerness.

"Sure did," Naruto replies. "What about it?"

He could picture Sakura giving him an eye roll. "You're going, aren't you?"

"I got nothing better to do on Saturday," he jokes.

She chuckles. "Thought so. Want to go together? Matching costumes like last year?"

In the previous year, Sakura and Naruto – along with Lee, Neji, TenTen, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, and Ino – dressed up as Harry Potter characters. Sakura had insisted on being Hermione; which made Ino and TenTen argue with her, although in the end TenTen decided to be Cho Chang. Neji went with Sirius, Kiba wanted to be Ron, and the list goes on and on. Since he was the only blonde male, they made Naruto Malfoy, even if he whined about it and wanted to be Harry (who Shino got the honors of being). They couldn't get Shikamaru and Chouji in on it because the two had decided to go as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.

"Actually, Sakura… I was planning on being a Ninja Turtle, so –"

"Ooh, great idea!" the pink-haired girl replies from the other end. "We can do all the characters from there! I want to be the reporter woman who friends the Turtles… what was her name again? Ah, doesn't matter. Who should be Casey, or Master Splinter, or any of the Turtles? And then there's the issue of the Shredder…"

Naruto shakes his head. Ino must be rubbing off on Sakura, because she's being overly-bubbly about this. Then again, if it's something she likes, Sakura can get pretty excited over it. She's a soulful, emotional person, who half the time is punching you out due to PMS. "Sakura-chan," he coos, "That's fine and all, but I was hoping to be Mikey and get Gaara to be Raf."

There's a short silence in where Naruto pictures a sly smile spreading across her face. "Oh? You mean… you're going to ask him to the party? Like a date?"

Yes. Absolutely. That's a given, and exactly his thoughts from a little while ago. But he can't go telling his yaoi-loving friend this much; she's already bugged him enough about liking Gaara. And yes, "yaoi-loving"; both Sakura and Ino think guy-on-guy action is sweet and forbidden and charming. They both read all kinds of yaoi manga and fanfictions and watch all the yaoi animes. It annoys the hell out of Naruto and Kiba. Neji tends to be indifferent about their obsession, and Lee doesn't seem to know or care. Sasuke, on the other hand, is most likely just as guilty as the girls, but Naruto can't be sure.

"No, not like a date," he says in a high, weak voice. He's terrible at lying. Naruto clears his throat. "I might've kissed him, Sakura, but I don't think he wants to date me. He kinda said something to me, so I'm not sure if he's interested. I try flirting all the time, but…"

"Whoa, hold on a sec. What did he say? And when?" she wonders, her voice sounding more serious and concerned.

Her blonde guy friend sighs. "Today, before technology. We were walking to class and the play auditions got brought up, and well… he said he doesn't want me at the play."

Sakura thinks for a moment. "How did he say it?"

"He said it coldly. Like, 'I don't want you there'. It hurt, Sakura…"

"I'm coming over."

"Huh? But it's a school night!"

"So? We need to talk!"

"Sakura, it's no big deal," Naruto tries to convince her. "I'm over it now. I have a plan."

"Sasuke's party?" she guesses.

Actually, the plan was to go incognito at the production and watch Gaara from afar, but that sounded reasonable; she thought he meant he had a plan to get Gaara less cold towards him, and that's part of it, so he shrugs and buys into the small lie. "Yup."

"Clever," she chuckles. "…So I take it it's a no-go on the matching costumes?"

"You can get everyone else to, but I'm not doing it this year."

He imagines her fake-pouting. "Fine, be like that. It's not the same without you, though."

He laughs. "You'll manage."

"Alright, well, I'm going to go now. And no, not to your house, since you seem fine. Just don't give up, you hear me? I told ya once, and I'll tell ya again: I approve of Gaara, so you two better get together!"

More laughter on Naruto's part. "Okay, Sakura, I got it. Bye now."

"Bye, love. Kiss-kiss!"

"That's Ino's phrase," Naruto chuckles.

"That's the point; I'm making fun of my oh-so-loveable sister from another mister." And then she clicks off.

Sakura really is strange. But he's sincerely glad that they're friends.

o0o0o0o0o

A knock at the door. "Gaara, can I come in?"

Temari.

"Hn," he grunts in agreement.

His elder sister slips into the room, coming to sit beside him on his bed while he reads a book. The title on the spine tells her it's a collection of Edgar Allen Poe short stories and poems. He only reads dark things like that when he's depressed or troubled over something. Temari sighs as she leans back on his bed to rest her dully throbbing noggin against the cool wall. "I'm going back to college this weekend. Uncle Shukaku is going to live with you for a while."

Gaara snaps out of his story (a classic favorite, The Pit and The Pendulum) and looks at her. "Why?"

She casts her dark teal eyes to him, all the laughter gone from them. They've been like that since their father died. "He's depressed about his brother's death, Gaara. You can't blame him for wanting to be closer to his family."

"He'll only have me around." It was a statement made to show how little Gaara's thought of in their twisted family. His siblings were the lone people who actually liked him and somewhat knew him.

Temari lifts her head and reaches for Gaara's sock-covered foot, giving it a light squeeze. "He likes you, and wants to get to know you better. He says you remind him of himself as a child."

Gaara stays silent, his eyes drifting back to the book in his hands.

Temari scoots up higher on the bed. She crosses her legs Indian-style and faces her younger brother. "Look, I know it's weird to you and you'd rather not, but give Uncle Shu a chance, will you? He doesn't drink like Dad, doesn't get violent unless provoked, and is pretty funny once he lightens up. He used to come by a lot when we were little, remember? Back when Yashamaru –"

He cuts her off. "Don't say that name," he snaps.

Temari's jaw clamps shut. "Sorry," she says after a moment. "Gaara, please. He has no one else to turn to but us, and Kankurou and I have school. He needs you."

"No one needs me," Gaara replies softly. He meant more than this one situation. Sure, he's needed in the school's play as Tom, but he doesn't think he's needed in anyone's heart. That's where he's wrong. And Temari sensed that was what he meant.

"_I _need you," she replies. "I need you to help our uncle, I need you to get through high school, I need you to be here when Kankurou and I come back, and I need you to talk to us more."

Gaara shoots a glare at Temari. When she gets low-voiced and serious on him, he hates it. Part of him doubts her words, because Temari – with anyone else other than him – will act completely opposite to this. She's not a solemn person like he is; she's a spicy, cocky, witty individual. When they went to the mall she acted like that, all smirks and upbeat-voiced, but right now… She was being gentle. It made Gaara uncomfortable, because no one else is gentle with him. Except maybe Naruto, but that's a different story. "Why must you insist on lying to me?"

Temari blinks and looks wounded. She frowns. "Since when have I lied to you, Gaara?! Unlike some people, I don't blame you for anyone's death! I know you didn't kill Mom or Uncle Yashamaru, and…" She gets determined. She's never said these next words to Gaara because he's never wanted to hear it, but in this moment, he has to. "I love you."

The redhead freezes, something unrecognizable stirring in his stomach and burning his heart like food that didn't settle with him. Yet he had hardly eaten anything today, so he can't blame bad cooking. "What did you just say to me?"

A faint smile. "I've always cared about you, and loved you. Since Mom died early, I feel like I've taken on the role of mother for you and Kankurou. You've never let me say it, but I had to. I want you to believe me, and trust me; on everything. And for now, I want you to trust me about Uncle Shu's stay here. Can you do that for me?"

Gaara makes a movement forward, looking like he was about to set his book aside and embrace his sister. But he doesn't. He lays the book to his side but doesn't take his hand off it, and leans back again. "Alright," he mutters. "I'll trust you."

"Then do you believe me, too?" she inquires, her words floating into Gaara's skull and sticking like glue.

Deep down, he believed the entire time that Temari loved him, more motherly than sisterly. She was protective of Gaara, and Kankurou was as well, in his own way. Gaara knew that, even if he's never admitted it. So, moving his lips a fraction of an inch, he mumbled, "Yes."

Temari got her spark back for a second, and it caused Gaara to lose the burning churn in his abdomen. Then she stands, kisses Gaara on the forehead without protest from him, and leaves. The kiss tingled and lingered on the spot she left it, making the poet very tempted to wipe it off like a five-year-old. He doesn't, however, and instead continues reading. But his brain isn't processing the words on the page; it's thinking about what his life has come to in these past few months, and how a different kiss from another blonde was being rekindled in memory on his lips.

o0o0o0o0o

Halloween is a day away, but Sasuke's bash is tonight. Heh, you drink and dance and be merry one night and the next you're out playing pranks and trick-or-treating. Who could ask for a more festive weekend?

"Hey, Dad, can you help me with this effing shell?" Naruto grunts, being careful not to swear in front of the adult like he has in the past. He squirms and tries to get the turtle shell to lay correctly on his back and get the chest plate to do the same on his front, but he was facing difficulties.

Kyuubi chuckles and comes to Naruto's aid. "I remember being a Ninja Turtle when they first came out," he says. "I was a senior in high school, I think. Or a freshman in college. Somewhere around 18," he says as he jerks the shell into place and straps it on properly. He hums as he looks the costume over. "You need green paint for your skin."

"I have some, I just haven't put it on yet," Naruto replies. He waddles over to the kitchen table and picks up a tube of body paint. "See?"

His adoptive father tries to hold back laughter. "You might want to practice walking, Naruto," he says lightly. "And how you're supposed to dance, I have no idea."

Naruto frowns. "Yeah, I know…" He sighs as he smears paint on his face and neck. He was wearing a long-sleeved green shirt, so didn't bother to paint anywhere else on himself. As the paint dries, he sits down and ties on his lily-orange eyemask. "Hey, you do know this is a crazy house party, right? Doesn't it bug you that there's going to be underage drinking and possibly high rooms and bumps in the night?"

That's Naruto's way on mentioning alcohol, drugs, and sex. That's what all high school and college parties seemed to be filled with these days.

The businessman shrugs. "So long as you're not holding the beer, smoking the dope, or getting freaky with some random girl, I'm okay with you going. I think your mother and I raised you enough to know better an be above all that shit. And if my brother-in-law had lived, he would've taught you the same thing."

Naruto nods and placed a smile on his lips. "Well, in that case," he starts, standing from the couch. "I'll see you around 1:00 in the morning. Bye, Dad!" And he heads for the door.

"Now hold on a second there," Kyuubi grins. "Are you taking the car or your bike? Because I'd feel better if you took the car."

A contorted expression takes over Naruto's newly painted green face. "Uh… do I have to? I mean, I'm still kinda shaky behind the wheel, and with drunks on the road…" _It'd be like how Mom died, minus the motorcycle,_ he finished in his mind.

Kyuubi sighs. "I know what you're thinking, and that won't happen. Please, take the Nissan. Or else I'm keeping your green ass home."

A crooked smile spreads across the blonde's mouth. "Alright, alright, I'll take the car. You put up a good argument, Mr. Bijuu." Naruto used Kyuubi's last name in mock respect, as if he were one of his uncle's clients. Kyuubi hated his last name; it made him sound like some demon, which he was in a metaphorical sense from all the scams he's done in his business, but that's beside the point. He wished he could get rid of it… Kushina was lucky not to have to take it as a maiden name since they were only half siblings.

"Get out of here, you rascal," Kyuubi says with a wave of his hand. Naruto winks with a thumbs-up and scurries out the door. "Pfft, teenagers," the middle-aged man scoffs when his nephew if gone. He plops himself down on the sofa. "I wonder what Shukaku's up to; I need something to do. It's practically Halloween and I'm bored off my ass."

Speaking of the Sabaku family, Naruto had failed in asking Gaara to the party. In the end, he had chickened out. All through school, and even when he had been about to call said redhead. He was hoping he could find Gaara there (if he even decided to go) and maybe sneak another kiss before the night was done. _Hmm, I wonder what costume Gaara picked… _Naruto thought idly as he drove his way over to the Uchiha Estate. It was after dusk, approximately 9:00 p.m.

When the door opened and Sasuke had Ino hanging off of him like a monkey, Naruto cracked a smile. "Hey," he greeted over the loud music that played in the background.

"Hey yourself!" Naruto returned, taking a step inside passed his friend. "Got a lot of people here already, I see."

Sasuke smirks. "Hn. News travels fast."

"Is that Kiba as the DJ?" Naruto laughs, mock-squinting like a captain at sea to the other side of the room.

"Yeah, he volunteered. Said he had better music than any hired DJ. So I let him." Sasuke explains, and Ino tugs at his arm.

"Let's dance, Sasuke! Please?" she's saying. She was dressed like Madonna; how predictable. Sasuke, on the other hand, was like Batman from the new Dark Knight movie. Surprisingly, he was the only Batman, and he made a damn sexy one. At least Ino thought so.

Naruto catches an eye roll behind the mask on Sasuke's pale face. "Fine," he agrees. "See you later, dobe," he says with a passing wave. "Refreshments in the kitchen, kegger out back."

Naruto nods and watches the couple move to the dining room, which Naruto realized Sasuke cleared out to make a dance floor. With no one's direct attention on him, Naruto takes in the scenery.

Tiny jack-o-lanterns hung in strings from the ceiling, black lights lined the walls, and miscellaneous lamps with blue, purple, red, and green bulbs lit any shadowed area. It was like a night club but classier, and Naruto noticed a few people wearing glow sticks, bracelets, and necklaces. The music he recognized as something old form the 80's, something resembling 'The Safety Dance'. The air smelled crisp from multiple open windows, letting all the fall chill in to cool off the sweaty dancers, beginning drunks, and to air out the house from being otherwise stale.

Ah, just how a high school party should be.

Making his way to the kitchen, Naruto spotted a few original and very unoriginal costumes. A couple of Superman and Wonder Woman were kissing on the loveseat, an Inuyasha and Kagome were conversing with Pepsi in their hands by Kiba's sound system speakers, and there were a couple werewolves, vampires, and zombies; the usual creatures of the night. He even found a handful of ninjas (none were Turtles like himself, he noticed), robots, fairies, and a Wizard of Oz character or two.

Suddenly, a Darth Vader bumps into him. "Oh, sorry," Naruto says. The Darth lifts his mask to show Shino's face.

"Hey Naruto," Shino says in a careless tone.

"Hey man!" Naruto replies idly. "Uh, you see Sakura around anywhere? Or Lee? Or maybe… um, Gaara?"

"Sakura's dressed as that girl from Gone With The Wind, if you want to find her. I don't know what Lee is, and I don't think Gaara's here." Shino replies, returning his mask and sounding muffled and deeper. He must have a voice changer built inside to sound like Darth himself.

"Thanks," Naruto grins. He was a bit panicked that Gaara hasn't been seen; but the night is young and he could simply be fashionably late. So, with Sakura in mind since her costume was the only one given, he grabs a 7Up and scouts the vast party scene for her.

He finds her in a curly brunette wig and scarlet dress on the deck in the back yard, a slice of pizza in her hand. He waves her down, and she spots him. "Naruto! You're here! Finally… I've been waiting since 7:30 for you," she scolds. She give him a small hug with some problems with the shell on his back and front. Sakura giggles. "I see you went through with being a Mutant; not that you weren't already one," she jokes.

He laughs. "Gee, thanks." He plucks the pizza form her hand and takes a bite.

"Uhg! That's my pizza, Naruto!"

"Not anymore," Naruto retorts, shoving the rest in.

"I hope you choke."

"And I hope you can tell me if you've seen Gaara."

Sakura raises an eyebrow. "I thought he was coming with you?"

Naruto sighs. "Unfortunately, I chickened out in asking him out."

He gets a smack on the back of the head for that one. "Idiot! You should have asked him! What if he doesn't come?"

"I'm afraid of that," Naruto admits. "But I think he will. Something tells me his siblings would want him to have some fun."

In fact, that's exactly right. Temari left yesterday (Friday), but before she went she saw Gaara looking at the letter Naruto had forwarded to him. "A Halloween bash?" Temari had said to the redhead. "Gaara, you have to go! Kankurou would force you if he was here. Hell, he'd crash something like that."

At the time, Gaara had been completely against it. "No way."

"Aw, but Gaara, it's just the thing to cheer you up. I know you've been down lately; why else would you coop yourself up in your room more than usual, reading nothing but depressing Poe stories? You have to go to this. I bet Uncle Shu would agree with me."

"Don't bring him into this," Gaara had told her. He sighed in defeat through his nose. "Have it your way. I'll go."

"Ooh, I wish I had time to go costume shopping with you!" she said in a tone that clearly showed disappointment. "Oh well. Be good at the party tomorrow, okay? I'll call you Sunday when I'm back in my dorm."

Gaara had nodded and exited the yahoo mail window. As for that costume… he threw together some things he already had.

And now, in present time, he stepped onto the threshold of the Uchiha Estate at about a quarter after ten. He sighed to himself and walked around back, not quite ready to enter the house yet. How did his sister convince him so easily? Maybe, considering the fact that Naruto had sent him the e-mail, he wanted to secretly go. So here he is, seeing two kegs on the side of the back deck and the shell of a turtle talking to a brunette. Scratch that, a bubble gum pink-haired girl who has to be Sakura Haruno talking to a Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle. In the light, the person could be either Michelangelo or Rafael, Gaara couldn't tell. Red and orange looked similar to him at night. Although he thought he caught a glimpse of something tucked into the Turtle's belt, and it doesn't look like the sai Rafael uses.

As he got closer and head for the patio door, however, Gaara heard Sakura and the Turtle talking.

"So, have you seen Lee yet?" Sakura asks with a chuckle.

"No, why?" replies the mysterious Ninja Turtle. Gaara tenses at the sound of the voice. _Shippuuden…? Naruto?_

"He's dressed as GIR from Invader Zim. You know, the little robot? He's that, but in the bright green dog suit. He says he was going to be Dib or Zim, but thought GIR fit his personality better." She laughs, and out of the corner of his eyes Gaara sees her shaking her head.

He hears who he thinks is Naruto laughing with her, and then he speaks. "Why does that seem so hilariously fitting?" More laughter. "Anyway, I better get you more pizza since I stole yours. And look for Gaara, if he's here yet."

That confirms it. The Ninja Turtle_ is_ Naruto. And he's looking for someone that's a few feet away from him.

Silently alarmed, Gaara rushes into the house before Naruto can catch up to him at the patio door and see him. He makes his way around random bodies, some dancing, some talking, and some drinking. The scent of candy corn, potato chips, and cheap beer met his nose and he scrunched it under his mask.

Yes, a mask, for Gaara was cloaked as The Phantom of the Opera. Sadly, the mask was meant for the wrong side, meaning it wouldn't cover his tattoo if he slicked his hair back like the Phantom. So Gaara was left with his bangs over one eye and a mask surrounding the other. Which made him very recognizable. And as much as he'd like to gravitate towards Naruto for the remainder of the bash, he was not in the mood right now. He needed to emotionally prepare himself more.

Naruto saw the Phantom's black suit and in the oddly-colored lights thought the wearer of the costume had black hair. So he ignored the other teen he saw and shrugged as he stepped into the kitchen for more pizza. It was there that he found Chouji, munching on BBQ chips and slugging down a Root Beer. "What's up, Naruto?"

"Nothing, just getting some pizza for Sakura. I ate hers," he explains, so not to sound like an errand boy.

Chouji was disguised as Jigsaw, with swirls on his cheeks and lines painted down the sides of his mouth like a puppet's. But his girth made him recognizable. "You see Shika anywhere? He's dressed like Freddy Krueger."

Naruto shakes his head. "Went for the horror movie theme, huh?" he asks cheerfully as he grabs a slice of pepperoni.

Chouji nods. "Yup. It was Kiba's idea. He's Jason, if you noticed."

"I did," Naruto grins. "Hey, I gotta run this out to Sakura. I'll catch ya later."

"See ya."

As Naruto made his way back through the crowd to the girl waiting for him, he saw Hinata talking to Kiba behind the DJ station. She was dressed beautifully as a Japanese geisha, her hair up and beaded in her forelocks, her dress reaching the floor, and her face makeup as perfect as Mulan's. Naruto smiles at the odd pair, one an American movie villain and the other an eastern beauty. Go figure.

He saw someone dressed as San from Princess Mononoke, complete with a teeny, black-purple crystal dagger around her neck. _Where is her Ashitaka?_ Naruto wondered with a curt laugh.

After he delivered Sakura's pizza, he came across Lee and chattered for a while. Lee seemed a bit goofier than usual; did someone slip him some beer? It didn't matter, though, because Neji was Lee and TenTen's destined driver. Neji never drinks, and when he does, it's not much. He can hold his alcohol really well.

Gaara, a ways away, was trying to get into the groove of dancing. He wasn't very good at it, but he liked to let the music carry his body. His eyes were closed and he did random moves that had no name, but fit the beat of the song.

Suddenly, Naruto sees him. The only hint he got was the hair moving aside on someone's half-masked forehead to reveal the kanji for love. Naruto's face couldn't smile any brighter. "Uh, I'll talk to you later, okay, Lee? I just found someone I've been looking for all night."

"Sure," Lee says lazily.

Naruto pushes passed the partygoers and makes his way to come up to the redhead. The ground seems to shake beneath his feet, and Naruto nearly laughs. It could be the thrumming bass of the music, but Naruto likes to think it's Gaara's dancing. Once again, Resshin peeks through.

"May I cut in?" Naruto jokes, speaking to the invisible partner Gaara was dancing with.

Gaara's eyes flutter open and he stares at Naruto for a full minute. He lifts his half-mask from his face to get a better look, almost as if the blonde Ninja Turtle in front of him is a mirage. "Naruto?"

"Where have you been, Gaara? I've been looking everywhere for you! Looks like you decided to come, eh?"

His e-pal doesn't respond, just replaces his mask and turns his body to dance. He felt angry with himself or letting Naruto find him. He should have faced the blonde from the beginning or came to him himself. Yet he hadn't.

"Come on, don't be like that!" Naruto protests, starting to dance around to the front of Gaara.

He dances close, _too close_, and Gaara feels his face heat up. Thank God the Uchiha used dim lighting. "What is with you?" the Phantom asks with a frown.

Mikey cracks a smile. "You didn't think I'd let you get away with one kiss and virtually no more e-mails, did ya? Prepare to be spammed, because with that play coming up you're going to be too busy to hang out with me, so I'm going to e-mail the heck out of you. And as for another kiss… well…" Feeling bold, he dances so close he's practically grinding on the other boy, his face nearing Gaara's.

A few people give them weird looks, while others don't even notice. One person in specific sees it, though. And he wants to roar.

Because as Gaara's stunned lips begin to react for the first time and as Naruto inwardly pats himself on the back for a job well done, Sasuke is clenching his drink so hard it crumples and pours cool, sticky liquid onto the floor.

_This is all mixed up, _he thinks sourly as he glanced towards Ino, his supposed 'girlfriend', whom at the moment was chatting with TenTen and Sakura. _I'm with someone I don't even like in the way she thinks, Lee's probably just as hurt as I am, and two people who used to hate each other are kissing? What the fuck is this, a conspiracy?! _

Sasuke focused on his breathing for a moment. Up, down. Up, down. Slower, slower, calmer, calmer. There, all better. He looks away from the blonde/redhead couple and noticed Sai staring right at him from Ino's direction. Who invited Sai? The guy was nuts, totally uncomprehending of human nature, emotion, and interaction. A freak from the ANBU.

"We need to talk, Uchiha," he says coolly.

"Can't. Kinda seething right now," Sasuke says between grit teeth.

Sai takes one look at Naruto and Gaara and nods. "It's been expected that they'd get together; I've known since that day in art class. I knew all along who his e-mail partner was, thanks to the ANBU's copy of the school records. You'll have to learn to live with it. If you will live, that is."

The raven-haired boy stops dead and burns holes into Sai. "What are you saying?"

Sai folds his arms over his chest. "What I'm saying is: the Akatsuki is after you. I'm not telling you because the ANBU is going to protect you, but I'm telling you so you can protect yourself. They have something planned to make you suffer, something involving a blonde, I heard. Now you have a girlfriend and a best friend that fit that description. So unless you want to get either one of them hurt, I suggest you figure out what the Akatsuki wants with you and why."

The vampire-pale boy vanishes in the sea of Halloween freaks, and suddenly Sasuke is left with Ino tapping him on the shoulder. "Hey Batman, is everything okay in Gotham city?" she jokes, but sees the look on his face and makes the question serious. "Sasuke? Are you all right?"

Sasuke shakes his head 'no'. "I think the beer is making my head fuzzy," he lies. "I'm going to lay down in my room."

"Oh, um, okay. Want me to come with you?" she asks out of concern, and partially out of hormones.

"No," he says sternly. Then he storms up the stairs, leaving Madonna hanging.

Meanwhile, Naruto is reveling in the fact that Gaara's lips are replying. He's about to work his tongue inside the cavern known as his earthquake's mouth, but suddenly someone taunts, "Get a room!"

"Bugger off!" Naruto snaps, snatching a phrase from a British movie he saw once. He thinks 'bugger' is another word for the f-word, but he's not sure, nor does he care. It sounded close to 'bug off', so it didn't matter.

"Why?" Resshin's voice says.

Naruto looks back to Gaara, realizing it's the same as at the arcade. He smiles gently. "'Cause I'm not letting you go, even if you don't want me at your play, or probably in your life. I'm here and you can't stop me."

Gaara pushes him away. "I hate that you're so persistent."

"And I hate that you kiss me back and then shove me off to the side! You're extremely confusing, you know that?"

"Better than being lucid," he retorts. He removes his Phantom of the Opera mask and tosses it to the floor. He takes a few steps, but Naruto reaches out and grabs his shirt. "Let go, Naruto." Gaara practically growls.

"No way, José. I said I wasn't letting you go, didn't I?" His tone is indescribable; something without a name, a combination of stubbornness, sadness, cockiness, and playfulness. "I need you here to talk to me."

Gaara pauses in his tugging on Naruto's grip. That's like what Temari said to him the other day: _"And I need you to talk to us more."_ He gives Naruto a reluctant look. "Fine. You want to talk? Let's talk. But not here. Outside."

Naruto nods and a smile reaches the corners of his mouth. Finally, some conclusion! But what will he say to the redhead?


	29. Chapter 28: While Gaara Is Away

Chapter 28: A Letter A Day While Gaara Is Away

They sit on the cushioned swing in the gazebo Sasuke owns out back. The music wafts to their ears soothingly. It seems Kiba has broken out the rock music after having played the 'Monster Mash' more than twice tonight, and nearly all the dance songs known to man from the 80's and today. _What time is it?_ Naruto wondered as he listened to Creed play from a distance. _About midnight, or is it later already? Sasuke said the party would have to be done no matter what by 3:00… so how much time do I have? I told Dad 1:00… _

Gaara waits patiently as Naruto collects his thoughts. When he had them, he clears his throat. "Gaara," he says slowly, "Do you feel it, too?" _Arhg, what a bad start. And a bad manner of wording, too!_

"Feel what?"

Naruto searches for better words to explain what he means. "That… that **connection** between us, y'know? I felt it back in 8th grade, but didn't know what it was, or why we'd have one. But after the Faceless-and-Nameless thing, I think I know. What about you?" He gets the courage to look into his friend's eyes, but the other isn't returning the gaze.

"Get that paint and mask off your face," he tells the blonde. "I can't converse when you look like that."

The hurricane looks confused, but complies. "I'll be right back." He mask is easy enough, but he needs soap from the bathroom to get the paint off.

When he returns, Gaara is standing outside the gazebo admiring the rose bushes, the jacket of his costume taken off to reveal a white, ruffled vest with no sleeves. Naruto tries to ignore the thoughts running through his brain upon seeing that; things about Gaara's arms and what his chest would look like. The sudden wish to be in Gaara's gym period to see him change in the locker rooms came over him, but Naruto shook the wishful urge. He had to think less about his attraction towards Gaara and more about how to explain his connection to him.

Stuffing the orange cloth of his eyemask in a pocket and setting both pieces of the costume's shell on the floor of the gazebo, Naruto thought of what to say. Gaara came back and sat on the swing, his feet rocking the swing. "Resshin," he starts.

"Hn?"

"Were you lonely when you were a kid?" Shippuuden asks. It's like those opening e-mails, but in person, and more specific.

"I was."

The blonde nods. "Me too. My mom had to work a lot to support the two of us after my dad died. Kyuubi would visit a lot to watch over me and help his sister, even if they weren't fully related. Still, I was lonely, because not many kids wanted to be my friend. I didn't know why, and haven't figured it out to this day. Maybe I was shyer or weirder than I thought. Whatever the case, I never got over that lonely feeling even after I gained friends like Sakura and Sasuke. And when Mom died… the feeling got worse. I lost part of myself along with her, since me and my mom were like two peas in a pod. Kyuubi stepped in, but it wasn't the same. You can't replace a mother. So, having not many friends and no birth parents, I felt lonelier."

Gaara doesn't say anything; but he doesn't have to. Naruto can see it in his eyes, which like the day of the funeral, were lacking eyeliner and had makeup to cover the bruises of his insomnia. In those eyes, Naruto saw empathy and words too intimate to express.

A slight change in subject. "Still not sleeping?"

The redhead glances his way. "Not much."

"Is it because of your medication again?" Naruto wants to know.

If he said yes, it would be an utter lie. Truth is, he hasn't been needing his medication for a while now. He probably should have taken it these past couple days, seeing as how he's been in the dumps and reading gruesome tales. But ever since Naruto came full-blast into his world, he's been forgetting to take his Wellbutrin tablets. Despite what he wants to think, Gaara can't deny that being with Naruto makes him… happier. The blonde had a very sunny demeanor, and his growing fondness for the hurricane helped cause the happy feeling.

"Not my meds. I… haven't been taking them. If Temari knew, she'd murder me. But I haven't been needing them." Oops, he hadn't meant to reflect his thoughts. Oh well; you can't take back what's been said.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"The storm's passed."

"You mean… your clinic depression is over?"

A nod.

Naruto blinks in surprise at the sudden change. Then he grins gently and whistles lowly. "Good for you, Gaara. That's good news."

A shrug.

The blonde laughs. "Come on, give me more than movements. Say something. We need to straighten things out. I feel like…" He pauses. "I feel like our relationship needs defining. I obviously want something more than friendship, and you…"

A sigh. "Naruto, it's not what you think."

"And what do I think?" he grumbles, placing his arms over his chest; a signature Gaara move.

But Gaara doesn't care that his stance is being used. He also seems not to care to look Naruto in the eye. He focuses on the white floorboards of the gazebo and clenches the edges of the bench swing's cushion. "Why do you want more than friendship? Is it to fill that loneliness you mentioned?" he poses in a tone that was borderline icy. If Naruto said yes, that would hurt Gaara. Not that the redhead would admit this.

Naruto contemplates this. "Maybe. I'm not sure. All I know is, talking to you and being with you takes that lonely feeling away. Doesn't it do the same for you?" Man, this is a really embarrassing topic. But it needs to be discussed. It's a miracle he isn't stuttering or scratching his scarred cheeks constantly. Or rubbing the back of his head raw. He was flushing, though. Big time.

An embarrassed nod escapes Gaara, and mentally he hits himself for showing an indication of what he felt around Naruto.

The hurricane has a smile in his eyes now. "But what do you want, Gaara? I've kissed you twice, and the second time it didn't bother you," he hints, a suggestive tone surrounding the words 'bother you', translating it to: 'you kissed me back'.

"I know," Gaara says curtly. "I…" _Tell the truth,_ his gut says. "I don't know what I want."

Naruto makes a face. "Well, you don't want me at the play, I know that much."

The earthquake apologetically shrugs. "I don't."

"Fine. But I deserve to know why."

"I don't have to explain myself to you right now," Gaara retorts.

More crossing of the arms. "I think you do, at least this once," Naruto tells him stiffly.

The redhead shifts on the swing and debates on whether or not to admit his nervous hesitancy in having Naruto see him act/sing or keep the little fact to himself. The choice of 'keeping it to himself' wins. "Not this time, Shippuuden." _But I may tell you later on. Just not here, in person. I can't tell you in person, _Gaara adds to himself.

The other teen sighs dejectedly. After a bit, he thinks for something else that needed explaining. "Then why did you return my kiss?"

For that question, it was obvious to Gaara; he's let himself recognize his crush on the knuckleheaded blonde prior to that kiss, but he forgot that it was a secret, and slipped up to kiss him back. Trying to keep his face blank, Gaara responds with: "It seemed right."

Naruto frowns. "That's all? 'It seemed right'? Not even 'I wanted to' or 'I got caught up in the moment' or 'because I kind of like you'? Jeez, Gaara…" He runs his fingers through his hair. He laughs uncomfortably, like he's trying to rid the tension between them. "We're not good for each other at all, are we?"

"I never said that," Gaara tells his e-pal. He chose his words carefully, so not to give the wrong idea. But what, exactly, is the idea he wanted to come across?

"Then what are we going to do?" Naruto wonders aloud. His tone is soft and a little hurt, not to mention utterly lost.

"I'm going home," Gaara says. "And you should do the same." He stands and drapes his jacket over his arm. "I'm going to be busy from here on out. Send those e-mails if you want. I'll reply to them." Leaving Naruto with that shred of hope, Gaara heads towards his car. Time to get to bed and pray sleep takes him this time.

He knows it won't.

o0o0o0o0o

Trick-or-treating brought major spoils for Naruto. He'll be set on candy until Easter! And what d'ya mean, he's too old to trick-or-treat? Seventeen is nothing! He's going to go trick-or-treating until he's thirty! He and Kiba both; Naruto will treat, and Kiba will trick. The brunette did a lot of pranking on O Hallow's Eve. At one point, the cops were called, and Kiba nearly got caught.

Naruto recapped all of this in an e-mail to Gaara, first of many to come. He added a comment about school and asked – yet again – why he couldn't come see Gaara at the play. Resshin responded with this:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Halloween night _

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I notice you kept our nicknames in your e-mail, even we've dropped out aliases and met. It's fine, though; I can't seem to get out of the habit of writing out your given name when I see your e-mail address. _

_Sounds like good times. I wouldn't know; I don't have much of a sweet tooth and only trick-or-treated when Uncle Shukaku took us when I was four and he was visiting my father. It's not my forte. However, it seems like it's yours and Inuzuka's. He didn't get caught, you said? That's fortunate. If I were the cop, he wouldn't have gotten off the hook. _

_I'm not ready for school tomorrow, to be honest with you. School means drama club and drama club means line rehearsing and song practice and all the things I forget I hate to do until I have to do them again for a new production. The only true enjoyment is knowing you have your lines right and watching as the people in the audience absorb the whole thing like sponges. To me, they're merely blank reflections of myself that I can act in front of. Like a mirror._

_Which is why you can't be there. I'd see you, and you wouldn't be a reflection anymore, you'd be a face. A face that I knew. And then I couldn't act. Do you understand now? I don't want to see you in the crowd because you'll be the sole person I recognize. Recognition for some is support, like your friends Hinata and Kiba. But for me… it's what destroys my ability to act properly. _

_Alright, I've said enough. See you in school._

_Sincerely,  
__Resshin_

Naruto noticed something about this letter: Gaara closed this one different. The original letters ended with 'signed', but this one said 'sincerely'. And in the past, he had used 'until then' once right before they met at Starbucks. Is that a good thing? It is, right? If he starts using 'yours truly', Naruto will personally see to it that he gets a slap in the face; because that would definitely be "a good thing". They way you close a letter can be impersonal like the originals or more personal like the one above.

He noticed another thing: Gaara admitted why he didn't want Naruto at the play. Somehow, the teeny confession burrowed into Naruto, and he felt somewhat guilty for ever planning to show up against Gaara's wishes.

But that was 'somewhat' guilty, not entirely.

Besides, he'll be in a disguise! What Gaara doesn't know won't hurt him…

Naruto decided to save his reply for tomorrow. He'd have the next month and a half or so for e-mails; it's not like Gaara was going anywhere, and it's not like he had better things to do.

o0o0o0o0o

Two weeks gone in a flash. Zetsu gained all the information he'll ever need to take down Sasuke. Surveying the meeting table at the Akatsuki's lair, the master of camouflage cleared his throat. "We're ready to strike on your orders, Pein."

"Are we, now? Is this all of it?" the leader asks, tapping the thick file on the table in front of him. He fans it's contents with one hand. "Looks like you dug up more than you can bury, Zetsu. Is Sasuke Uchiha such a complex character that his information file is this large?"

Zetsu nods. "There's a lot that makes up the boy. But what's most interesting is the situation of his blonde best friend, Naruto Uzumaki. Seems Sasuke took a fancy to him."

In the corner, Tobi laughs. "He likes his best friend? That's so gross! Say, can we give him a codename? Tobi votes for 'Saucegay'! Get it? Because he's _gay_ and has a saucy attitude and it sounds like his real name? Tobi is such a clever boy."

Cue a whack from Deidara. "Shut your mouth, un. You're so annoying."

"Deidara-senpai, why must you always hurt Tobi? Tobi was just trying to be funny!" the swirly-masked member replies in a whine.

Pein pounds the table. "Silence!" He calms himself and leans back in his chair, the shadows of the low lighting dancing wicked shapes across his pierced face. "So, what are you suggesting, Zetsu?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Pein shrugs. "It is to me. We kidnap the blonde, Nayrudo or whatever his name is, and lure the traitor to us. Then we spring our trap and hit our target."

"Precisely," Zetsu agrees.

Sasori raises an eyebrow. "What about his girlfriend? We saw on the file that he's dating some cheerleader named Yamanaka."

Pein waves that fact aside. "She's clearly a pawn. Sasuke's as sharp as his brother, and is using her in some sort of jealousy plot. She's of no importance. It's this boy we need to focus on; he's Sasuke's weakness. Perhaps we should have researched the blonde boy as well…"

Zetsu smirks. "Way ahead of you, Sir. Behold, a file of him as well. I couldn't uncover as much information, but I got the gist of it. Here." He tosses a thinner file folder to his boss and watches as the man opens it and skims the information.

"Lives with his half uncle, father died in the service, mother died in a freak motorcycle/drunk driver incident; likes shooting hoops, going to the arcade, and swimming. Oh, but what's this? We have another homo in our midst; he likes a red-haired poet who transferred from Suna a few years ago. Looks like we have another dust bunny like Sasori. Do you know this kid? Gaara Sabaku?"

Sasori's interest spikes. "Sabaku is the name of one of my best action figure buyers. Kankurou is his name, I believe. Are they related?"

"I'm betting so, little man," Pein replies with a smirk. "If so, we can use that to our advantage. But first, we need to know when to capture up our young blonde friend."

"I vote Christmas. It's when Sasuke will go to Naruto's house for Christmas Eve dinner and a Christmas Day celebration, now that his brother is gone and he has no one else to turn to. Even check the file; he lived with the same group before returning to Itachi to send him to the cop shop." Zetsu points out.

"I see that," Pein nods. "Alright, I second the vote."

"Third, un." Deidara grunts.

"Fourth." Sasori offers.

"Fifth." Kisame puts in. This revenge for his partner in crime, after all.

"Sixth," it continued until all the members agreed, Hiden being the last.

"Then it's settled. The night before Christmas, we strike. The 23rd."

The production of Rent was the 21st, a Saturday, the first of winter break. Oh, the troubles this will cause.

o0o0o0o0o

_From: Addicted2ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Turkey Day_

_Resshin,_

_Gobble, gobble! Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Are Temari and Kankurou coming come for a big feast? And hey, your uncle's still living with you, isn't he? I hear Dad texting him on his cell phone all the time. They're pretty close, huh? That gives me an idea… we should have our two families celebrate Thanksgiving together! That'd be fun, right? We're both such small families… and Thanksgiving to me is all about quantity. Lots of food, lots of people, lots of laughs. So how about it? Uh, but Sasuke might be there… I'm not sure, but he might be since he's kind of alone. Sakura's family will be there for sure. We're all going to be over at my house, so things might get a bit crowded, but I want you there._

– _Shippuuden_

_P.S. Maybe you can read everyone some poetry… I'd love to hear some more. _

o0o0o0o0o

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Turkey Day_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I also noticed the texting. They're like a couple of teenagers again. Thanks to Kyuubi, I think Uncle Shukaku's cheered up more. I admit his moping around was getting on my nerves. I don't see what there is to miss about my father. Perhaps it goes further than the memories I have of him._

_Naruto, I'm not so sure that idea is as great as you think it is. Multiple families eating together can turn ugly; and with our group, very dysfunctional. I think I'll decline. But in response to your question, yes, the colleges are allowing my siblings to come home for the holiday. Kankurou will be staying until after New Year's, but Temari can take time off for just Christmas. She works harder and is more involved with her education than my brother, and her teachers are more strict. They didn't like her taking off as much time as she did already._

_Apparently, Uncle Shukaku lost his house and the inheritance from our father wasn't much most of it went to us, specifically Temari, since she's the eldest). So he's going to be living with me until I go to college. I'm not too happy about it; he's much better than my father, but we don't seem to get along well. We're… estranged. Another reason why Thanksgiving with him won't be pleasant, and being at your house might not make it much better._

_Sorry and Happy Thanksgiving,  
__Resshin_

_P.S. Here's two poems for you to read since you haven't heard any in a while. The first is meant to frighten, and the second is meant to soothe._

_**Attachments: **__Creating Silent Screams__, __Hold Fast_

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto opened the poem after the Thanksgiving dinner and festivities, at about 11:00 at night when everyone was winding down. Sakura was the last one there, and they let her spend the night like she has in the past, only Kyuubi was going to make sure that Naruto stayed on the couch while Sakura took his bed. Kyuubi knew the pair would never have sex, but it was for Sakura's mother's sake. She had to believe that her daughter wouldn't end up pregnant due to some perverted teenaged boy.

"What that?" Sakura asked as she sipped a bottle of water and peered over Naruto's shoulder. He was checking e-mail, and Gaara's poem was displayed on the screen.

"It's a poem by Gaara," he explains idly, his mind captivated by the poetic words.

Sakura raises an eyebrow and wipes water form her upper lip. "Oh?" She glances at the screen. "Let me read it."

Naruto moves aside and allows Sakura to read it through. In the meantime, he grabs his pop from his dresser and takes a swig. He listens to Sakura's lowly chanting voice as she reads the poem aloud, a shiver running down his spine from it's severity and use of words.

"Screaming without lungs,  
Spoken without tongues,  
Climbing without rungs,  
And seeing without hues.

"Silent is their screams that from the throat rip,  
Said broken in a whisper, yet sharp in sound.  
It pierces the night with a steadily aching grip,  
Soon to fall short and flat to the ground.

"Words spoken with no mention of sin,  
Heard by the look in his eyes and expression of his face.  
Not verbal, it hangs in the air waiting to be taken in,  
Though the voice is ignored, being it out of place.

"One may climb the ladder, hoping to reach the top,  
But obstacles in life cloud the way.  
Perhaps the fool will give up and drop,  
Or perhaps they will succeed one fateful day.

"The world swirls around you, full of people and hues;  
The color is too intense for normal eyes.  
The people care not to stop and gander, but they shall get their dues.  
Black and white is the only truth, all the opposing being lies.

"A scream without lungs is broken air, a lack of noise.  
A sentence spoken without a tongue is innocent communication.  
Souls climbing without rungs are hopeless toys.  
But to see without color is a brilliant accommodation." (To this, Gaara added: 'for color is a distraction' in his mind, but didn't place it in the poem.)

Sakura stopped reading and hugged herself. "That's pretty deep, Naruto. I didn't know teenaged boys could think like that. Plus, it's sad. Is Gaara okay?"

Naruto nods, trying to get rid of his own goosebumps by rubbing his arms. "Gaara's always been that way. He grew up a lot different than you and me; he's had time to think about those kinds of things."

"I think I understand what the poem means. Do you?" Sakura poses, taking a hesitant, thoughtful sip of her bottled water.

"I think I do, too," the boy replies. He shakes his head. "What about the other poem? I didn't get to read it yet."

"Oh, um, here… let me read that one, too." Sakura clears her throat.

Naruto shuts his lids. Gaara said this poem was supposed to soothe. So the blonde sat atop his bed and waited as Sakura found her voice and began to read.

"Hold fast and hold tight,  
For I shall not lose you tonight.  
I want you close,  
I want you near;  
You're my drug that I gladly overdose,  
And there is nothing to fear.

"Hold fast and take root,  
Wipe the nightmares and the soot.  
I need your voice,  
I need your touch;  
It's the song of your breath which confirms my choice,  
So let us snugly share the couch.

"I know you dislike the way I can be,  
I know you'd rather not hold onto my hand,  
But you have to take me for me,  
And you can take your time trying to understand.

"I may not say those three words directly,  
But I hope you comprehend  
All the things I'm trying to say  
Before our life together ends."

Naruto blinked his eyes open. _Is this another one of Gaara's random love poems out of impulse, or… could it have been written for me?_ Oh, the possibilities. If only he knew. Maybe he could ask… "Sakura," he says suddenly. "Let me sit there again. I want to, uh, write my review to his poems. So scoot!"

The girl smiles. "Sure thing," she tells her friend as she gets up from his desk chair. "Have fun reviewing that last one." And she thinks to herself: _Cha, finally! A confession! And a not-too-subtle one; I'm impressed. Go Gaara! And Naruto, you better not mess this up, or I swear I'll make your life hell. _

The hurricane for once was blown away. _First, that conversation at Sasuke's house a little under a month ago, and now this poem?_ _Hot damn. _Naruto cracks his fingers. _Shoot, what to say, what to say…?!_

He ended up with this:

_From: Addicted2ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ Re: Re: Turkey Day_

_Resshin,_

_Uh… wow. I'm kind of at a loss for words. There was a lot of strong, pent-up emotion in both poems that I think you're leaking. Like, in the first one? Something tells me guilt and helplessness of some kind is eating you up inside. And the second sounds like you have a crush on somebody. _(Here is where he paused and was tempted to ask if that 'somebody' was him or not, but like the poem, Naruto held fast to his inquiries. He knows better than to pry with Gaara. He could dream, however, and he dreamed that this was like the bird dreams come true and he was the person mentioned in the second poem.)

_Whatever the case, I hope you feel secure enough to tell me. I know I kissed you a couple times, but I'm really not going to rush things. I'm still your friend, Gaara, and you can tell me stuff. It sounds like you need to, and that we didn't get to say all we wanted/needed to at Sasuke's. Admittedly, I'm glad you told me what you did about why you don't want me at the play. I don't think you would've told anyone a thing like that, so I feel honored that you came out with it to me. Thank you. _

_And, um… how's it coming with your Tom Collins characterization? You got his lines and singing parts down? Because the play is approximately three weeks away, I think. The twenty-fir__st__, right? Man, you don't have much more rehearsal to do, do ya? Heh, heh. Break a leg, man._

_Sorry if I seem a bit… bipolar in this letter. Sakura's over and I think her post-PMS state is rubbing off on me. Damn, she saw me type that and she's getting mad. Talk to you later in school, Gaara. Take care of yourself, okay? That first poem had me a little… worried. It's was fucking deep and not frightening like you said, but more depressing. I'll ask what Sakura asked a bit ago: are you alright?_

– _Shippuuden _

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara didn't receive Naruto's e-mail until two days later, courtesy of Iruka's heavy-duty rehearsal meetings for the singers. When he read it, however, he felt angry with himself for ever sending that love poem in the first place. Originally, it had been meant to relax Naruto after reading his first poem, and had been written after reading a romance novel. But no, he could tell that Naruto had taken it the wrong way, because he sensed a hint that asked: 'was that poem for me?'

In retrospect, his classmate had come to mind once or twice while writing said poem, but he wasn't meant for Naruto. He didn't feel the exact way that the poem described.

Or, at least, this is what he told himself. His heart feels otherwise.

Despite their rough ride thus far, Naruto had accomplished his goal in etching into and burrowing inside of Gaara's heart. Because now the redhead couldn't get the blonde out of his mind. It was like hearing a voice on a random cartoon and recognizing it, but not knowing where you recognize it from. It's familiar, but the name of where you heard it before is just out of your reach, right on the tip of your tongue. This is the same thing: Naruto was like a thought that kept picking at the back of his head, nagging at him. He admitted the attraction, but Gaara was **not** about to admit any 'full-blown love'! It's absurd. Teen love never lasts, and it's not real, everyone says. And Gaara could almost believe it. In fact, he could almost believe that love was merely a figment of imagination to begin with. So if he didn't imagine it, then it wasn't real.

Tsk, tsk. He loves lying to himself, doesn't he? You can all groan and slap him, if you want. He deserves a good knock on the head. But you mustn't be too rough; he doesn't know any better. He's insecure with his feelings and scared of re-tearing old wounds, like a delicate origami person with thin limbs and a paper heart.

So, Gaara replied accordingly, saying thanks about the poems and reassuring Naruto that he was fine.

And Naruto replied. And replied. And replied.

On and on, every single day, in between seeing Gaara in Kakashi's class and watching Gaara head for the auditorium while he stood at his locker to go home for the following day. They kept a constant flow, talking about recent events, how the play was progressing, and anything new happening.

And something new did occur.

Right around the dress rehearsal for Rent, the 19th, Kankurou took apart one of his action figures to learn how to make his own. And do you know what he found? That's right: a vial of poison set to be a bomb, triggered by a satellite signal only the Akatsuki could send.

And because of this discovery, guess who got caught and sent to join Itachi in the iron tomb? And who's line of toys were called back to be destroyed? Wow, you're right again! It was Sasori.

Hence, one of Gaara's e-mails read:

_From: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
__**Subject:**__ none_

_Dear Shippuuden,_

_I presume you've seen the papers. My brother's getting popular on the front page, isn't he? He discovers some mafia's secret and suddenly he's home less and being famous more. It irks me. And not just his ego's expanding mass, but also the entire ordeal of the Akatsuki. I am sick and tired of them sticking their noses in all the wrong things, like planting ticking time bombs of poison and committing shootings._

_Although I noticed something: the ANBU has been awfully quiet. Aren't they the rival gang in Konohagakure ? It makes no sense to me that they didn't step in when Kankurou found what he had. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I think the ANBU had something to do with my deceased uncle, Yashamaru. His death was blamed on me, but it was too perfect of a frame. I never told you specifics for fear you'd believe the wrong thing, and I still have that fear. But you can't think the ANBU isn't at fault; they've done the wrong type of justice so far, and unlike the Uchiha, you know that. _

_Sincerely,  
__Resshin_

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto swallows hard. That's quite the load; he'll nee a minute to adjust. And so he does, and at first wonders how Gaara knew about Sasuke's previous desire to get into the ANBU. And then he remembers: practically everybody heard that rumor, even the teachers. Next he wonders how to reply to such a thing.

He decides to call.

But he freezes as he holds the red cordless phone in his hand. Maybe he shouldn't… Besides, what if Shukaku or Kankurou pick up? Naruto hated it when he got the wrong person the first time around. It's kind of embarrassing; it's like: 'Hello.' 'Uh… hi.' 'Who's this?' 'One of Gaara's friends… is he available?' 'Hmm, let me check… GAARA! SOMEONE'S ON THE PHONE FOR YOU!' And all the while they're holding the mouthpiece thinking you can't hear them yell, but you can, and sometimes you can even hear the person respond. 'Well, who is it? I don't want to talk to anyone right now unless it's necessary.' Then the original answerer would come back. 'Hey, what did you say your name was?' 'I didn't; It's Naruto.' 'Oh, hey, man! Didn't recognize your voice! GAARA! It's Naruto! Still want to ignore the call?' 'No. Tell him to… what did he say at Halloween? Bugger off? Tell him to do that.'

Yeah. Naruto was imagining too much into the scenario. He does that sometimes.

With a groan, Naruto face-planted onto his mattress. The phone flew to some remote location on his floor, most likely slipping underneath the bed. "Screw it, I'll just e-mail him back."

And so he did… but not until the 20th, the day prior to _Rent_'s opening night.

o0o0o0o0o

The 20th evolved into a remarkably stressful day. Gaara was jittery all day, his inner lip being bitten until it bled. His tongue sampled the drop of blood that sprouted, and Gaara grimaced. Blood didn't taste horrible, but it reminded him that when you bite hard enough to draw blood, you usually get a canker sore.

To distract himself from further biting temptation, Gaara extracted a slice of cinnamint from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. The taste of steel and salt dissolved into a much different, spicy-sweet and refreshing flavor. Chewing indolently, Gaara scrolled out the answers on his homework sheet in his unique handwriting.

The reason why Gaara was so anxious was because Naruto had e-mailed him back and didn't have much to say, so he offered that he come over to Gaara's house again after Gaara completes the dress rehearsal after school today. The dress rehearsal itself wasn't too stressful; Gaara knew his part, his character, and his lines – both musical and non-musical. It was the prospect of hosting Naruto in his home again that shook him.

Beside him, the blonde was oblivious to Gaara's uneasy chewing. He seemed too preoccupied with a word problem in their chemistry homework. He tapped his pencil against the blacktopped table, and the poet stole a glance to see which one his friend was having issues with.

"Naruto," he whispered, his voice sounding less smooth than usual. "Need help?"

He sent Gaara an appreciative look. "Yeah, on number 23. I can't figure out how to do it. I know what I'm supposed to end up with – something in scientific notation – but I don't know how to get there."

"Here," Gaara offers in a low tone so not to be heard by Kakashi. "You have to write out the equation like this, since it speaks in past tense last. So you figure out the second half before you do the first half," he explains.

Naruto watches his friend's creamy hand fly across a scratch piece of paper, doing the steps but allowing Naruto to configure it for himself. When the problem was all said and done, the blonde grinned. "You make one helluva tutor, Gaara. Ever thought about being a teacher when you grew up?"

The other shakes his head. "I don't think I'd do as well. Besides, I have other ambitions."

"Like…?" Naruto prods as he works on the next problem in his homework assignment.

"To go to college far from here, graduate with a master's degree, publish my best poetry, and become an editor for books in progress." Gaara says calmly as he hides his gum under his tongue, prickles from the spicy cinnamon making that spot of his mouth go numb.

"Sounds boring," the other teen scoffs, trying not to sound mean.

Gaara gets defensive. "Then what are you planning?"

"I dunno, but it won't include working in an office all day! I wouldn't be able to stand that," Naruto says. "But it'd be sweet if I were some head honcho someplace; then everyone would respect me."

Gaara raises a nonexistent eyebrow. "You wish to be respected?"

"Yeah, and liked for who I am. I don't get the feeling many people around here feel that way towards me. I'm no class clown like Kiba, a dark and handsome pretty boy like Neji or Sasuke, a jock like Lee or a carefree lazy ass like Shikamaru. I'm not even that smart, like you or Sakura are. I'm just… Naruto. Plain and simple." He gets a glare from Kakashi, one that says, 'shut up or I'm sending you to detention today'. He sighs, and lowers his voice again. "I could've been on the swim team, which would have been great since I love swimming and am pretty fast and can get really competitive, but they lost their funding and had to shut down. So I'm left with no respect since I do nothing."

Gaara stares at the other boy for a long time. He wants to boost Naruto's spirits, wants to touch his face, wants to let him know that he understands and feels the same about his own situation. Yet Gaara doesn't make a move or say a word. And after a minute, he looks away.

Naruto doesn't know how, but he senses what his friend meant and he pats the boy next to him on the forearm. "Thanks," he says, even if there isn't much to thank for.

The redhead sends him a rare, small smile.

Then the bell rings. Time to get this show on the road.


	30. Chapter 29: Mayday Performance

**A/N: i had to listen to 'La Vie Boheme' about 10 times in order to write this.**

* * *

Chapter 29: Mayday Performance

Naruto sat at home, waiting for 7:00 to roll by. His crush had told him that that'd be when drama club members could be dismissed to rest up for the show tomorrow evening.

"Hey Naru, it's Friday night and I see you sitting up in your room with music blaring. What's wrong with that picture?" Kyuubi teases as he leans against the doorway to Naruto's bedroom.

"I'm going to be out of your hair soon, so don't worry about it. I have plans tonight just like any other teenager out there." His adoptive son sniffs in reply.

"Whoa, way to shoot the messenger. I was actually about to offer to take you for a night on the town, but it seems you have other plans. Maybe next time, after Christmas." Kyuubi turns to leave, but remembers something. He smirks. "Speaking of which, you better have bought something expensive and tasteful for me this year," and he winks. "Like a butler, perhaps?"

The blonde rolls his eyes. "Nice try, Dad, but that ain't gonna happen. I have something else in mind for your presents."

Kyuubi chuckles his approval. "And I could say the same about yours. Well, see you later when you get home."

"See ya," Naruto mutters. He glances at the door as it closes, and he spies a hat hanging off the hook on the back. A sneaky, fox-like grin eats his face. He's worn the hat to school before, so he won't use it, but he just thought of a different hat he can use of Kyuubi's to hide his overly bright blonde hair when he goes to see Gaara's play. Which he is still fully planning on, because despite what a betrayal it might be to Gaara's wishes. Naruto feels something good will come of it, especially for himself. Call it being selfish, but he _reallyverymuch_ wanted to hear Gaara sing again. And now he knew the perfect disguise: he'll go dressed as his own uncle.

o0o0o0o0o

The doorbell rang, nearly sending Gaara cascading down the stairs. He tripped on them for sure, and got to the door before Shukaku could. Straightening himself he glanced at his watch. 7:23 p.m. Well, Naruto certainly wasn't late, now, was he?

The paprika-haired teen unlocks the door and swings it open, a smiling face greeting him from the other side. "Hey, Gaara!"

"Come in, Naruto," he says politely and uses a word to remind Naruto of his house's rules. "Shoes."

"Oh, right; almost forgot…"

_So predictable,_ Gaara thinks with a mental smile.

Shukaku appears behind him, car keys jingling in his left hand. "Who was at the door?" He asks. Then he notices Naruto standing at the foot of the stairs. "Hey, I remember you; you're Kyuubi's nephew. I met you at the funeral. Well, not personally; the name's Shukaku. Don't bother with 'mister', it just makes me feel old. What's your name, kid?" he wants to know as he makes his way down the stairs. He was a meaty guy, all muscle and pretty tall. Obviously Gaara didn't get his height from his father's side of the family. But something was different since the funeral… his broad shoulders were no longer slacked and low, but high and strong.

"Naruto Uzumaki, at your service," he replies with a faux bow.

Shukaku laughs and slaps Naruto on the back as he gets to the bottom near the door. "I like your friend, Gaara; he's got spunk." Turning to his nephew, Shukaku continues, "Anyhow, I'm off to pick up a few things from the store. We're running low on the essentials now that your brother's been added to the group. I'll be back in an hour and half or so."

"Goodbye, Uncle." Gaara says dully.

Shukaku frowns slightly, his golden eyes showing dislike for Gaara's deficiency of tone. But soon the humor is back and to show it, he ruffles Gaara's hair (something Naruto has had the urge to do for a while now). "Have fun." And then the man leaves, purple-blue tattoos and all.

As soon as the car is halfway down the street, Gaara shakes his head and waves to Naruto to follow him. "Would you like a drink?" he asks, playing the roll of a good host.

"Yeah, got any soda?"

"With Kankurou here, there's always Dr. Pepper. And Uncle Shukaku likes Ginger Ale, so we have some of that, also. Which would you like?"

"Ginger Ale," Naruto replies with a grin. He loved light, citrus flavored sodas, like 7Up and Squirt (one of his top favorites) or Sunkist. He'd occasionally have something else, like Pepsi or Root Beer, but otherwise he stuck with his fruity pops. Ginger Ale wasn't technically fruity, but it's close.

Gaara tosses the blonde a can, and Naruto catches it with ease. A brief moment of silence passes that Naruto fills with the click-pop-fizz noise of opening the can of soda. He takes a slurp of the freshly bubbling drink. It tastes better from a glass bottle or the tap at a restaurant. Just like beer. Why do you think canned beer is so cheap? It's meant to get you drunk, not for you to enjoy it. If it were from tap or in a bottle, it would be much better tasting.

"So…" Naruto begins, his nails tapping the side of the can gently. "I wanted to come over tonight since I won't be at the play tomorrow. Plus, y'know, I like hanging out with you."

The redhead looks at him strangely, as if asking 'why would you?'

Naruto smiles. Instead of answering the unspoken question, he asks: "Can I see your room?" He prepared himself for a 'no', but Gaara surprised him by nodding his head. "Cool."

_I wonder what his room looks like? Does it have black paint on the walls or plain old white? Will he have something embarrassing leftover from his childhood like a race car bedspread or a night light? Maybe he has something crazy, like a lava lamp or disco ball. Maybe he has posters of rock bands everywhere, or a hand-painted mural on the wall. Or maybe… _But Naruto's thoughts were cut off as the entrance of the boy's room opened.

"It's nothing much," Gaara shrugs as he walks in and leaves Naruto to explore with his eyes. He takes a seat on his bed, watching the blonde's every move.

"'Nothing much'? Gaara, your room looks like a picture-perfect college dorm! It's awesome!" Naruto surveys the room, seeing a dark midnight blue reading chair near a short bookcase, a hanging lamp above it. Then there was the desk, made of the same looking wood as his dresser and headboard. A full-length mirror hung over the closet door, and the entire floor was a light cream carpet the same shade as Gaara's skin. His bedspread was the same shade of blue as the chair, as were other accents in the room, like a picture frame covered seemingly in denim. A woman with short, soft blonde hair was in the picture, and she looked a lot like Temari. Gaara's mother. And there were a few last details: a TV set with a PS2 on the long dresser, and a laptop resting on the desk. Naruto smirks. "You're pretty spoiled for someone who lives in a duplex," he laughs. He takes to the chair in the corner, staring across the room at his companion.

"It's not how you're thinking. The PS2 was a gift from Uncle Shukaku one Christmas for the three of us, but it's been left to me now that Temari and Kankurou are college aged. And the television set is a hand-me-down from a neighbor since they got a new one and no one ever wants to watch the things I do." Gaara explains, saying more than he has in a long while.

"Ah, I see," Naruto hums. He glances around and notices red paint on the wall connecting to the door, something he couldn't see form his original place at the doorway. "What's that?" he asks, pointing. He gets closer and notices penciled-in lines, and that only certain areas were painted red.

"It's the start of a mural," Gaara tells him. "I was reading a werewolf book someone said I should read, something mainly directed towards girls, but I found it interesting; Blood and Chocolate. In the book the main character was drawing a mural on her bedroom wall, and it gave me an idea to do the same. I'm illustrating that poem of mine, Monster. You remember the one?"

Naruto nods. "Yeah, especially the line, 'it crept up with silent chills' or whatever. The rhyming line to that was 'to take in my thrills' or something. But yeah, I remember the poem. You're trying to draw it?" He crouches down to inspect the lines and trace them with his fingers.

"I'm not much of an artist, and I gave up once I saw how it looked with some paint on it."

"What? Are you kidding me? This isn't half bad! I like it. You should finish it; I could even help paint it when you're through." Naruto says sternly, making his words sound like a promise.

"If you're sure…" Gaara mutters, standing behind the blonde. Naruto hadn't seen him approach, so when he turns slightly at the sound of the close voice, his heart jumps and he's tempted to give Gaara another kiss. But he resists.

Shippuuden clears his throat and stands from his position to look Resshin in the eye. "Hey, this is a weird question, but… have you had any more of those bird dreams lately?"

A manifest of pink shrouded Gaara's face. "Just one when I slept decently the other night."

Naruto's head starts bobbing up and down like a pigeon. "I had one that same night! I didn't mention anything about it in a e-mail because… well… it was a weird one, a lot different that ones from the past."

"I know what you mean," Gaara agrees. "It was… unsettling."

"Almost like a nightmare."

"Describe yours to me, would you?"

So he did. Naruto told Gaara all about it. It had played like a horrific harmony in his head, and felt very foreshadowing.

In the dream, the yellow bird looked wounded, for it was not flying. It was whistling an eerie, heartbreaking tune and hobbling around like it's leg or wing was broken. It cried out to the clouds of a far-off hurricane to take it away and spare it this pain, to crush it with one mighty blow and restore it to it's human form so he wouldn't have his wounds any longer. Instead, a different sort of creature appeared, a giant vulture with talons that could rip a heart from an alligator's chest. 'Come with me and I will release you from your pain,' the vulture said. It's eyes were a frozen blue, although one eye hidden beneath feathers showed a mechanical device of some kind. Instead of a pupil, the device had a camera lens for spying. 'Come now, or I'll have to take you by force,' the bird of pray continued. 'Where… where is my earthquake?' the teeny yellow bird chirped weakly. 'Where is he?' Playing along, the vulture responded: 'I know where he is. If you come with me, I'll take you to him.' Desperate from dehydration, Naruto's representation agreed to come with the vulture. He was taken into it's claws and carried far away. But as he was being taken, Resshin spotted him from below. The red bird swept into the sky and dive-bombed the vulture, demanding it give his love back to him. 'You cannot steal my hurricane from me!'

But here was another bird nearby, a sleek black raven. It heard the cardinal-like bird call out, and it grew angry. The raven flew towards the sound of battle, finding the gold finch-looking bird lying helpless in a tree while the vulture with the robot eye fought the much smaller bird. 'You cannot win, Resshin.' 'How do you know my name?' 'I know much about you and the wounded one below us. I need him for my flock's plans, so hand him over.'

'No, I know your plans. You're trying to get to me,' said the raven. He appeared between the red bird and the ugly one, his shimmering black feathers stretching from wingtip to wingtip. 'Well here I am, so take me… If you can catch me,' and with that the raven flew off, the vulture in hot pursuit.

'Shippuuden, Shippuuden!' Gaara's representation called as he swooped in low to land on a branch beside the other bird. 'I'm alright, Resshin,' he replied gently. 'I wish I could fly to prove it to you.' 'What gave you these wounds? Did the vulture do it to you?' Resshin asked with heavy concern. 'No, I made them myself; merely an accident, nothing to worry about.' Resshin could tell he was lying. 'Shippuuden…' he warned. The hurricane bird sighed. His beady eyes looked to the leaved near him. 'It doesn't matter, I'm going to be reborn soon. I wish I would have been more clever when dealing with the vulture. He knew my weakness.' 'What weakness?' Resshin asked before his love died for the thousandth time. 'You…' said the yellow bird, and suddenly he fell limp. Then he exploded into feathers, reborn form them like a phoenix. The human Shippuuden slipped off the branch and collapsed into a heap on the ground. Worried, Resshin followed his trip down through flight. Sleepily, Shippuuden opened his eyes and he gazed up at the cardinal-like bird. 'See? What did I tell you?' he joked. 'Now, let us go find the raven. He needs our help. Since I am a human for the time being, I may break the vulture's neck with one hand and save us all.'

This is where both Naruto's dream and speech to Gaara ended. "And that's how it happened. Do you think the raven was Sasuke?"

"It could have been…" Gaara thinks aloud. "It would make sense if it were him. He was protecting you and not caring much about me, which is something Sasuke would do."

"I think so, too. But then… who was the vulture?"

"I have no idea."

"Me either," Naruto pouts. He pauses to sip more of his Ginger Ale. "So… what do you think it means?"

"I think it's a warning. You should be careful, Naruto; someone is after you to get to Sasuke." Gaara tells him, and his tone is threatening. But also on the brink of being terrified.

Naruto looks quizzically at his friend. "Are you serious? Why, was your dream the exact same?"

Gaara nods solemnly. "It was, but there was one thing more: the vulture came back and was wounded and wobbly, aiming to peck somewhere at the human Shippuuden and bird Resshin. The raven thought he was going to peck Shippuuden, so he dove in the way and got pecked himself, three times. He fell in a bloody heap, and Shippuuden got so angry he did what he said he would: he snapped the vulture's neck."

It seemed Gaara always dreamed a slightly different point of view or more than Naruto did. Probably because when Gaara did sleep, it was a lot deeper than the sleep Naruto got.

The blonde swallows upon hearing that. "Something's going to… happen to Sasuke?" he asks fearfully.

"It appears so."

"I hope not."

"For your sake, me either."

Silence falls between the two for a while, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Then: "Gaara…"

The redhead makes eye contact. "Yes?"

"Let's watch a movie."

For a moment Gaara can only raise an eyebrow, but he understands. Naruto doesn't want to dwell on the nightmarish prospect of the dream's meaning, so a movie will distract him. "Fine by me."

"What do you have?"

"Thanks to Kankurou, anything with violence and gore in it. Some with sex, but I 'd prefer we don't watch any of that."

Naruto tries to think of a movie that fits that description. He finds one, coincidentally comic-book related. "Do you have any of the Hellboy movies?"

"Both of them."

"Oh! I haven't seen the 2nd Hellboy since it was in theatres! Can we watch that one?"

Gaara nods and heads for the living room. Naruto plops himself down on the couch, soda in hand. He holds back a giggle as Gaara makes barely noticeable (but quite amusing) facial expressions while trying to find the requested DVD. Once he does, he pops open the DVD player, sets the disk inside, flips on the television and selects the proper channel. Soon, the menu button is pressed on the remote and the beginning of the movie is playing.

The poet is about to sit in the recliner, but Naruto shakes his head. "Get your skinny ass over here. Movies are meant to be enjoyed together, whispering comments like critics the whole time and stuffing your face with candy or popcorn."

The other teen rolls his aquamarine orbs. "I'll make some popcorn, then."

"Ah, but the movie is starting! I'll pause it for you. You can't miss the beginning; it opens up for the whole plot of the movie!" Naruto complains and reaches for the remote. Gaara is way ahead of him. He pauses the film and heads into the kitchen for Act II Butter Lover's popcorn and use of the microwave. As the hum of the microwave is heard, Naruto settles himself down in his seat more, curling up on his side and bringing his legs up to hug a throw pillow. He sets his can on the end table, having about half of the drink remaining. Popping is heard from the kitchen, and Naruto smells butter. Mmm, fatty salty goodness.

Once Gaara returned with a giant bowl of popcorn in hand, the film resumed. He sat beside the curled-up Naruto on the couch, being careful not to touch him and to set the bowl between them on top of an extra pillow.

"Where's Kankurou?" Naruto asks in a whisper as the screen shows a rather buck-toothed child Hellboy.

"Don't care."

The blonde shrugs and shoves a handful of popcorn into his mouth. It tasted oddly satisfying. When was the last time he had popcorn? Whatever, he's just going to enjoy the moment. In Gaara's house, eating his popcorn, sitting on the couch with him… wait, that's like that second poem of Gaara's, _Hold Fast_! 'Snugly sharing the couch'… A blush burns Naruto's ears, and he's glad Gaara had turned off the lights for the movie; that way he can't see the all-telling blush.

8:00 turned into 9:00, and soon Naruto's eyes were getting heavy as the movie neared the climax. His legs relaxed to rest his feet on the ground again, and the pillow fell to the floor. He fights to stay awake, but… he fails horribly. He's asleep in minutes.

Gaara had been asleep nearly 20 minutes ago. For once, it seemed, his drama club practice wore down on him, and the stress liquefied as he felt safe and comfortable beside Naruto on the couch. So he removed his guard and slumped against something firm yet warm and comfortable at the same time.

When Shukaku finally came home, he had the urge to burst into a fit of laughter at what he found on the couch. He stifled his giggles with his hand and moved into the kitchen. What he had seen was Naruto's had propped up on Gaara's shoulder, the redhead in turn resting his head on Naruto's. The blonde had somewhat curled next to his nephew's body like a fox in the hollow bark of a tree. The credits of some movie or another were zooming up the screen in front of them, but they were too far gone to hear the music that played from it.

Moving silently, Shukaku set down his purchased items on the kitchen table and in the dark surrounding the family room he searches for the house phone. When he locates it, he dials Kyuubi's number. Grinning, he says as Kyuubi mutters a 'hello': "Kyuubi? It's Shu. I think you might want to come pick up your kid…"

After all, Naruto can't ride his bike home when it's beginning to snow and he's tried out of his mind. Not that he'd want to be taken home at this very second…

o0o0o0o0o

The 21st of December, a Saturday. Night falls over Konoha, a thin blanket of two inch thick snow covering the ground and building up muddy slush on the sides of the street. Parents, teachers, students, and relatives alike flood into the auditorium at the high school, bundled up in hats and scarves and gloves. They shed their dead weight and smile, buzzing about how great the show is going to be, since Konoha High always does a lovely job with props, scenery, and choice in actors. Most are so absorbed in seeing their kid play a part that they don't mind the homosexual and real-life situations of the play itself. They might mind when they hear how many of the characters have AIDS.

Naruto, donned in a brown pea coat and hat like some detective, pays for a ticket and hushes the student working the ticket booth. He wrinkles his nose to stop the sneeze building up from the bushy, brown fake mustache stuck to his upper lip. "I'm not here tonight, got it? I'm a random stranger, **not **Naruto."

The girl handing him his ticket is Matsuri, and she giggles at his appearance. She's heard the rumors; she knows that Naruto is here for Gaara. She's a bit jealous, since she likes the 'intelligent, elite, and uncommonly cute' (her words) redhead as well, but she's all for the pair. Even Matsuri can see how well they fit together, despite their awkwardness. What she doesn't know is why Naruto would be coming to see Gaara anonymously. "Okay," she winks. "Here's your ticket, _Sir_."

He tips the brim of Kyuubi's hat at her and steps into the theatre. Naruto chooses a seat in the back left half of the audience, a place where his crush won't be able to see him. He passes a few people, some his own age, and settles down, making sure to lean back so his hat isn't a nuisance for someone's line of sight.

Naruto's matching false sideburns itch like crazy on the sides of his face, but like the sneeze from his mustache, he ignores it. All he needed was a pipe and he's be set to look like a slightly more rugged version of a British constable. His second disguise choice had been to dress up as one of the seats and sit folded over the entire time, but he had no upholstery or plastic arrests to use. So he went the way of the **Master of Disguise** movie and played it up with fake hair and big coats with hats.

After 15 minutes of waiting, the show takes flight.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara stands backstage, his heart drumming in his chest. He's used to pre-show jitters; they come and go every time he acts. He wonders vaguely what Naruto is up to at this very moment. He pictures the blonde at home, typing away at the computer, already making an e-mail for Gaara to read when he gets home, the letter full of questions about the performance.

His heart ceases it's overworked pumping and he takes a deep breath. _I am not Gaara Sabaku, _he thinks to himself to get into character. _I am Tom Collins. I am a full-grown man. I teach philosophy. I'm homosexual and am afraid of dying of AIDS. But I'll make it through. _

The red curtains open. He hears voices and footsteps on the black-painted wooden stage. A crowd clapping. Lights shine through and hurt his eyes for a moment until his pupils adjust. He waits patiently for his appearance, which should be any time now. Then… he strolls out, his vocal cords ready to utter their loudest speech to be picked up and sent out to the far reaches of the auditorium. He puts an expression on his face, one that is empty and not felt by his innards, but one that can be seen by others and recognized as Tom Collins, even if he's not the real deal and is only made up to look like it.

o0o0o0o0o

Naruto's heart rate speeds up when Gaara's comes on stage. It's strange… he's not himself. He's speaking loudly (but not too loud; it's just right, like a professional actor) and using expressions on his usually deadpan face. His voice is clear and full of spirit, and he reminds Naruto of the movie version of Tom. For a minute, he can't recall the boy down on stage ever being Gaara. It's like a caterpillar finally becoming a butterfly after a long hibernation in a cocoon.

"Gaara…" Naruto whispers to no one in particular. He blinks at the sound of his own voice, not realizing he had said the redhead's name. Nonetheless, he listens and watches, taking it all in. He's only seen _Rent_ twice; might as well pretend he hasn't seen it at all. That way, he can really get the feel of a musical, live and right in front of him.

Time in the play passes. The song 'La Vie Boheme' comes around, Naruto remembering it to be his favorite. Ironically, that title is the original for this entire musical.

Gaara's first line in the song came, and Naruto leaned forward instinctively.

"Benjamin Coffin III - Here?" Gaara says in a tone that isn't singing yet isn't talking.

The café owner speaks next. "Oh no!"

Everyone (although Naruto notices Gaara's face at the mention of alcohol): "Wine and beer!"

Maureen's character, "The enemy of Avenue A, we'll stay."

"Oi vey!"

And Gaara again, with a line that makes Naruto crack a smile. Tom asks, "What brings a Mogul in his own mind to the Life Café?"

It continues, a senseless argument between everyone in the café, referring to a death of one of the characters. Organ music played like the start of a funeral, and Mark (a senior, Naruto notices) goes on a rant, and then everyone is singing the phrase, 'La Vie Boheme…'

But then a low set of piano keys plays, and as everyone choruses 'La Vie Boheme', Mark picks up the beat and says so many things that Naruto can just barely keep up.

Pretty soon, another senior playing Mr. Grey quickly sings a list of orders, the food items sounding quite strange stringed together in the way he spoke them. "So that's five miso soup, four seaweed salad, three soy burger dinner, two tofu dog platter and one pasta with meatless balls…"

A random character (Shino as the actor for all the one-time parts like this, Naruto noticed) says "Ew…" in reply to the last part.

Then Gaara once again. "It tastes the same."

"If you close your eyes," says Mimi, played by TenTen. Naruto didn't even know that she had auditioned!

At one point in the song (probably while they were ranting something about 'to hand-crafted beers made in local breweries, to yoga, to yogurt, to rice and beans and cheese') Naruto focused only on Gaara's lines, as little of them as there were.

"Emotion, devotion, to causing a commotion; creation, vacation…" Gaara sang with Maureen's character.

Then a little later once again with Maureen: "Compassion, to fashion, to passion when it's new…" Then he adds alone: "To Sontag!"

Angel, the drag queen played by ever girly-haired Neji, sings: "To Sondheim!"

And four others sing, "To anything taboo!"

Gaara comes in with Roger singing: "Ginsberg, Dylan, Cunningham and Cage," then alone: "Lenny Bruce!"

And Roger, "Langston Hughes!"

And it kept going, the whole song at this moment sounding like a battle of who could come up with the most random phrase or name.

Suddenly, Mimi and Mark sing, "Why Dorothy and Toto went over the rainbow to blow off Auntie Em…" and Naruto snickered at such a thing.

Then probably Naruto's favorite section (sung by Mark, Angel, Mimi, and some others – Gaara being one of them, he notices.): "Bisexuals, trisexuals, homo sapiens, carcinogens, hallucinogens, men, Pee Wee Herman, German wine, turpentine, Gertrude Stein, Antonioni, Bertolucci, Kurosawa, Carmina Burana…" And then everyone together: "To apathy, to entropy, to empathy, ecstasy, Vaclav Havel – The Sex Pistols, 8BC, to no shame – Never playing the fame game…"

Naruto burst out laughing at the next part of the song when Gaara inhaled a long breath like smoking a cigarette and said, "To marijuana!"

And finally, after a little while, one of Gaara's bigger parts in the song that went like this: "In honor of the death of Bohemia an impromptu salon will commence immediately following dinner... Mimi Marquez, clad only in bubble wrap, will perform her famous lawn chair/handcuff dance to the sounds of iced tea being stirred."

Naruto laughed until he sprouted tears upon hearing Gaara sing/say something like _that_.

Even funnier was Tom Collins final solo: "Angel Dumott Schunard will model the latest fall fashions from Paris while accompanying herself on the 10-gallon plastic pickle tub."

Neji retorted with, "And Collins will recount his exploits as an anarchist – including the tale of his successful reprogramming of the MIT virtual reality equipment to self-destruct as it broadcasts the words: (everyone says this next part) 'Actual reality – Act up – Fight AIDS!'"

Benny's character yells for a check, and then Mimi (TenTen) comes in with her own little solo. "Excuse me, did I do something wrong? I get invited, then ignored all night long…"

Roger steps in to sing: "I've been trying – I'm not lying – No one's perfect, I've got baggage…"

TenTen returns with: "Life's too short, babe, time is flying! I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine…"

Then the scene turns softer, gentler. Roger and Mimi go back and forth, and Naruto finds his eyes panning between the two. "I should tell you –"

"I got baggage, too –"

"Should tell you –"

"Baggage…"

And then everyone on stage shouts: "WINE AND BEER!"

A pause in the song, and finally the ending to La Vie Boheme. TenTen mentions the break of a beeper alarm and Roger asks, "You?"

"Me," TenTen replies. "You?"

"Mimi…" Roger sings in a high, gentle tone.

And the scene came to a close, Naruto favorite song here and gone. Someone had to shush him when that part of the play was over, for he was laughing too hard. Man, Gaara could really play a role… he was tempted to shout, 'who are you and what have you done with my Gaara-panda?!' since Gaara acting as Tom made him seem very… er, _different_.

And yet… it seemed hollow. Fake. Forced. Like his heart was into the acting, but not the emotion and movements. Like he was a puppet, performing as someone else. In a way, that's all any actor is.

Naruto could almost call himself an actor at the moment, because he was trying so hard to be someone Gaara could reflect on and not see as the lone face he recognizes.

o0o0o0o0o

At last, the curtain draws shut and the school play is finished. The audience stands applauds. The curtains remain closed, but the cast dances out in groups to the front of the stage, striking poses as music drums from the speakers. After the entire cast is present, every double and extra included, they clasp hands (Gaara at the end of the line with one reluctant hand to hold onto, Naruto observes) and bow.

The audience stands and claps louder, some people whistling or letting out a "whoop, whoop!"

But as they stand and the cast raises their heads right before another bow, someone bumps Naruto from behind, causing him to release the sneeze he's been holding. He stumbles and his hat and mustache fly off his face. Naruto's exposed and he glances around, his eyes landing on the stage.

At the end of the line, Gaara is staring directly at him, shock taking up the expanse of his face.

Kudos to the dope behind him, Naruto's cover is blown.

_Fuck._

Naruto scrambles to flee, attempting to move through the encoring crowd, his elbows and knees jabbing people right and left.

_Gaara saw me. He knows I came when I wasn't supposed to. _

Some people yell at him. "Hey, watch where you're going, punk!"

He doesn't care. He has to leave, or else he'll be facing Gaara's wrath.

But it's already too late.

* * *

**A/N:** **unlike recent chapters, this one isn't uber long, it's average length. around 5,500 words, give or take. but i HAD to stop it where i did. just like when they met at Starbucks, i put it into two parts: Naruto ending the scene first, Gaara opening it next. so be patient, the next chapter will be up soon. it already had about 200 words, heehe.**

**STAY TUNED FOR CHAPTER 30: "DAMN IT ALL"**


	31. Chapter 30: Damn It All

**A/N: uhguhg, i know, this is my second update within 13 hours, but i can't help it! i just keep writing and writing and writing! this chapter is much shorter, only 5,001 words by Microsoft Word standards, but i need to save all the action for the next chapter that will probably be over 7,000 words long, give or take. and as far as things go in this chapter? um... i totally don't know what i was doing. it's all so... ew, NICE and FLUFFY. ew! we need action and angst! so the next chapter should help fullfill my action/angst needs. yours, too. so yeah. enjoy!  
...because now that i've made you feel good with fluff, i can tear every last one of you up from the inside with suspense! MWAHAHA! (okay, so not that dramatic, because half of you might really love the next chapter, despite the lack of romance in it. XD )**

**oh, and it was thunderstorming all day. giant, loud crackling booms that shook the posterframe on my bedroom wall and disturbed me from a very comfortable sleep. i hate thunder. lightning looks cool, but thunder can startle me and/or frighten me. and the pounding, wooshing rain? NOT HELPING. so creepy, and so... depressing. fun to watch, not so fun to listen to when you're trying to sleep in until noon.**

**AM I UPDATING TOO FAST FOR YA YET? LOLOLOL.**

* * *

Chapter 30: Damn It All

Gaara's eye catches movement in the audience, and connect with the shape of a figure in a pea coat stumbling forward, head bowed. The figure's hat falls off to reveal bright blonde, and Gaara freezes. The figure stands to full height and turns to look right where Gaara is standing. He sees shadows on six horizontal lines on the person's cheeks, and sees lightly colored eyes.

The redhead panics, his lungs giving up on breathing for a everlasting moment. _Naruto… _his mind thinks slowly. Then, as the shock passes, he gets angry. _He… he…!_

The blonde tries to run off, but Gaara is a step ahead of him. Not caring what anyone will do or say, he lets go of the person's hand he had been bowing with and exits stage right. He trials down the steps and bursts through the door, jogs the length of the hallway, and turns to catch Naruto at the front exit door by the abandoned ticket booth.

The winter winds picks up outside, and Konoha got the beginnings of it's second snowfall. Gaara didn't care about he weather, however. He merely looks for the blonde.

And then he appears, hat and mustache missing, and the sideburns half-falling off. A sprinkling of sweat lines the top of his forehead. Naruto nearly rams into Gaara as he tries to make his escape. "Oh…"

"Naruto," Gaara mutters so low it comes out sounding venomous. His hand shoots out and grabs the tricky fox's wrist. "Come with me."

"Shit…" Naruto mutters. The tone resembled how you would say, 'busted'. And busted he was indeed.

The redhead drags Naruto back the way he came. They enter backstage, the curtain enclosing them in privacy. On the other side of it, the murmur of the audience's voices can be heard, and some of the actors and crew members are talking to Iruka. Their silhouettes can be seen on the other side of the red fabric. Iruka was offering to go to Culver's for custard as a treat. "But where's Gaara?" he asks. A sophomore girl that had been holding Gaara's hand during the group bow pipes up, telling the brunette teacher that Gaara had left quickly.

He doesn't care that he's being talked about. What matters is talking to Naruto. He whirls around and stands in the middle back of the stage where an extra set of black curtains hang to cover the sound equipment. Gaara glares into Naruto's gorgeous eyes, and his stomach aches as it turns inside him. "_Why?_" he growls and stomps his foot on the wooden floor. "Why did you come tonight? Even after I told you not to, and so kindly explained my reasoning? Why did you blow off my warning and come in some… _costume_?" He reaches up and cleaves the two false sideburns from the blonde's face. "Tell me!" he barks, wanting a reply. A flame danced inside the depths of his eyes like when he punched Sasuke.

"I…" Naruto gulps, for once fearing the redhead. "I just… wanted to see you perform and h-hear you sing…" he stutters weakly.

"Obviously!" Gaara hisses as he throws up his hands and faces the other way. Aside from their fight in 8th grade, this is the most emotion Naruto has ever seen the boy give off. His cheeks were flushed and his hairless brows were an inerasable frown. He's exploding from bottling up his feelings too much too often. His emotions were pouring dramatically and hotly like lava. Gaara begins to pace the stage. "I don't understand you, Naruto, I really don't. I don't understand why you try so hard. Is it worth it?"

Naruto clenches his fists and stands his ground. He unbuttons his coat and tosses it to the floor; he doesn't want to sweat more than he already is. Pointing a harsh finger, he retorts: "No, you really _don't_ understand! I try so hard because of_ you_! And it is worth it to see you finally use some emotion, even if it is forced for some character in a musical! I know you told me why I couldn't come, but I couldn't stay away, alright? I came because…" Then Naruto hesitates. Should he speak his real reasons? _Can _he? "Because… I…" and he fails saying it altogether. The blonde sighs and runs a hand through his hair, then promptly scratches the back of his head.

"Because of **what**, Naruto?" the redhead snaps as he paces. He thinks aloud: "What keeps bringing you back?" Speaking louder, he questions stridently: "What made you want to come tonight and risk me making a fool of myself if your little disguise would have come off sooner, hmm? Tell me what it is!" Gaara says, but his tone sounds hurt. It sounds like he's had secrets kept from him in the past, secrets that cut him too deep to heal.

"Damn it all!" Naruto curses under his breath. _Why does it have to be so hard to say?!_ He can feel it down to the very core of his being, but he can't say it. Determined, he returns his gaze to Gaara's searching eyes. He inhales sharply. _Don't hesitate. Say the entire sentence, and don't chicken out. Come on, Naruto, you can do it. Tell him what he wants to know. _"Damn it all," he repeats, "I came because **I love you**."

Gaara's pacing falls back a step, and he holds his breath for a moment. He stands there, all sorts of things running through his head and reverberating in his skull as if a tuning fork had been struck.

**That word.  
**_Love. _It was etched into his very forehead with blood red ink. Numbly, he touches the tattoo underneath his bangs. That word was also in a song from tonight, 'Seasons of Love'. Gaara even had a part in that song. He had to sing the lines: "In truth that she learned, or in times that he cried; in bridges he burned, or the way that she died…"

**That phrase.  
**_I love you._ Temari was at last able to say it to him, weeks ago, after 17 years of his life. His father never said it; rather, he said the opposite. Yashamaru had quite a few times, but never meant it.

But Naruto – _Shippuuden,_ his Shippuuden… his _Naruto_ – just said it. And he said with his eyes glistening as if on the verge of tears, tears made of frustration and truth and longing and love. _Unlike Yashamaru, he means it,_ Gaara thinks in his racing mind. _Like Temari. Which reminds me… that draft letter he never meant to send, but for real. He's… _

"Naruto," Gaara stresses with an unrecognizable tone, his face blank. The only hint of what he's feeling is given away in his eyes, and Naruto can't put a finger on what that emotion is, exactly. He wants to figure out what Gaara's feeling right now, and scans his carefully constructed mask of indifference for a sign. But all he sees is the look in the poet's eyes, and the sound of the tone used on his own name.

"Y-yeah?" he swallows, wondering what's going to become of him now. He admitted after God knows how many months what he's been feeling, and now he has to wait for Gaara's reaction. And what a painful wait it was.

As an answer to Naruto's encouraging 'yeah', Gaara's steps forward and places his hand on Naruto's face. The pad of his thumb grazes the blonde's lips, and they part at the contact. All his uncertainty melts under the heat of Gaara's palm on his cheek. He closes his richly blue eyes and shivers as Gaara's thumb strokes from the corner of his lip up to his cheekbone, vanishing at the end into his golden locks.

There is a short pause in motion as Gaara lifts himself with his heels to match his lips with Naruto's and smash the tense barrier between them with a kiss.

The blonde's brain seems to have left him. He can't think straight, save for a few thoughts about how Gaara is willingly, intimately touching him – kissing him – without him being the one to start it. It's so different than touching Gaara to hand him a piece of paper or a tool in chemistry, so different that the touch of being taught how to shoot the cue ball correctly, so different than that unresponsive first kiss with Gaara, so different than even the responsive second kiss.

…_He's telling the truth; why else would he risk my anger to come see me act? And I knew last night when I woke up on the couch with him against me that I couldn't deny myself any longer the indescribable want I have for human contact and love. Maybe part of my deprivation of it as a child was my own fault, but I want it now. And I can't think of anyone better than Naruto. So if he can say that he's in love with me… then I think I can say the same to him. _Gaara reasons to himself.

In the meantime, a tongue is flickering out to pave the way of Naruto's lips; a means of asking permission to enter. Surprised that Gaara was taking the next step, Naruto opens and allows the redhead to fully assault his mouth. Tingling waves pass over both boys from lip to crotch to toe, and for a moment the world stands still.

Now, unlike what you might think, there was no 'battle for dominance' or 'tennis match of tongues'. Oh, heavens no. In place of such animal behavior there is smooth gliding, like ying and yang in a timeless dance. It was like their mouths knew one another from a past life, and were meeting again for the first time.

Gaara broke for air, his eyes opening a bit to see Naruto smiling dopily at him. "You…" Naruto breathes softly. But he doesn't complete the sentence and instead swoops down for another kiss, this time causing Gaara to stumble backwards onto one of the benches created as prop for _Rent_.

The redhead crashes onto the wood and Naruto practically straddles him, his hands hungrily inspecting what lay under Gaara's black shirt (changed from his Tom Collins clothes, of 'course; everyone had resumed normal wear prior to the bow at the finale). He's been curious what Gaara's chest would feel like since day one of crushing on his e-pal. It felt warm and supple, clean of chest hair, and firmly built without being muscular like his own tan chest. The hurricane finds a nub and smoothes it over with his fingers, a tickling sensation coming over Gaara in his finger's wake.

The earthquake's own hands are currently avoiding the touch of skin, and are residing at the back of Naruto's neck. He doesn't know how they went from being angry/defensive to making out, but he honestly wasn't bothering to give a rat's ass about having a sense of logic. The dynamic of the situation shifted when Naruto said 'I love you', and that's all Gaara cares to know.

As Naruto's arms encircle Gaara's waist from within his shirt, the blonde smiles. "Does this make us a couple now?"

"I suppose so."

"Our uncles will have a fit. And probably fall over backwards," Naruto thinks aloud.

"Not if they don't know."

"Can we really keep something like this a secret from them? And what about your siblings?"

Gaara leans up to speak into Naruto's ear. "I could care less."

Naruto shudders and on reflex scrunches his ear close to his shoulder. Gaara's breath tickles. The blonde chuckles softly. "I think you're bipolar, Gaara."

"How so?"

"One minute you're mad at me, and the next you're kissing me. Make up your mind!"

"I was thinking the same thing a second ago," he tells the blonde. "But I'm not bipolar. The dynamic changed when you said what you did."

"Then I'm glad I said it." Naruto pauses, suddenly feeling self conscious. "Um, maybe we should go. What if someone catches us…? Or what if they lock us in the school? I don't even know how long we've been… uh…"

Gaara shakes his head at the teen above him and pushes him off. He stands and pulls his shirt downward. "You're right, we should go. But it wouldn't matter if someone caught us or not; you're bound to tell someone about us, and they'll spread it around like any other rumor." He offers his hand to his hurricane, his nearly pupiless eyes soft and glowing; the flame is gone, and fireflies are in it's place. "But we'll make it through like the AID victims in _Rent_."

Naruto grins and weaves Gaara's thin fingers in between his; a wordless oath.

Because – damn it all! – nothing can separate them now that they're together.

Although, there was one last matter to settle.

"Oh, and Naruto…"

"Hmm?"

"I lied, before."

"When?"

"When I assured you that I didn't get any 'weird letters' from you. I got that one that was meant to be a draft the day the power went out."

Naruto stops walking, his coat draped over his arm as they stand in front of the doors to enter the school. He releases Gaara's hand. "WHAT?"

The redhead makes a small wince. "I didn't want you to know that I got it. I figured it'd be too embarrassing for you. If it's any consolation, I didn't dwell on it and it doesn't count."

The other boy makes a face but nods minutely. "You're right, it is too embarrassing."

And they were quiet for the rest of the night, walking hand in hand in the falling snow.

Picture perfect, right? Tch, not for long.

o0o0o0o0o

All day the 22nd, it felt like Naruto was glued to Sakura's side. He called Sakura that afternoon to ask her to go sledding from the recent snowfall, and while they were marching up a hill out by the forest, he had told her what happened with Gaara the previous night. Like any girl, she wanted the juicy details. And it took the entire day for her to get the information she wanted.

"What did it feel like? Is Gaara a good kisser?"

Naruto also felt like he wore a constant blush. Hey, at least it kept his face from freezing. "Do I really have to say that?!" Because, sure, Gaara's a freaking brilliant kisser, and it felt like nothing could ever be better (except maybe sex, Naruto guesses), but he wasn't about to say all that to Sakura. You just don't tell people that kind of stuff, it's personal!

"Yes! Jeez, Naruto, every other gay guy kisses and tells."

"But I'm not gay, so there you go."

"Then why are you in love with a guy?" she teases, flipping her red and white striped scarf over her shoulder.

"I just _happened_ to fall for a guy. As far as I'm concerned, girls are still cute. So I'm not gay… entirely."

Sakura laughs and scoops up some snow to toss in a half-fast made ball at her best friend. "Oh, your sexual orientation is so complicated." She mocks. "You used to be straight, then you didn't know which you prefer, so you're not asexual. But you say you're not bisexual either. And because of Gaara, you're not straight, yet you say you're not gay. So what are you, huh? You're confusing me. Just pick one."

Naruto shrugs. "I don't know… I like what I like. Is that so wrong?"

The pink-haired girl shrugs as well. "Guess not. I know where I stand though: in the line of straight people. I love Ino and all, but I'm not about to go lesbo for her or any other girl."

"…Then how come when we watched Chobits you said you would totally go lesbo for Chii?" Naruto chuckles. He has her now.

Sakura rolls her eyes. "Psh, because Chii is a Persocon and not a real girl. Plus, she's irresistibly adorable. I could eat her up, she's **that** cute and sweet."

Naruto laughs harder. "Fine, fine, Miss Haruno. You win." He shoves her into a pine tree to make the snow fall onto her head. She yelps at the cold (some snow reached her skin). Throwing down her toboggan, she punches him hard, causing him to stumble and land on his ass in the snow. Naruto wasn't wearing snow pants, either. "Ahh! COLD!!"

"Serves you right." Sakura sticks out her tongue like she had with Kiba at lunch that one time. "While you're down there, you can submit and tell me what exactly happened between you and Gaara."

The Uzumaki boy sighs and props himself up. Dusting snow from his jeans, he decides to tell her. "You know what song by Blondie? 'French Kissing'? It was like that."

Such a statement sends Sakura into a fit of giggles as she thinks of the lyrics. "Wow." She drapes her arm over his shoulder and picks up her toboggan again. "But what did it taste like? I've French'd a few people, and a couple of them tasted disgusting."

"Um… spit?"

"Besides that."

"Um… Gaara…?"

"Really?" Sakura grins. "Then what does the essence 'Gaara' taste like?"

"Something I'd like to bottle and sell," Naruto jokes.

"That good, huh?"

He nods. "Very cinnamon-y. And warmly sweet, like honey. And I think I tasted a little blood; he must bite his lip a lot or something. But it wasn't yucky or anything. There was something else, too, something I can't name that took up his whole mouth. Whatever it was, I can't get it out of my head."

"Aww, you're so in love, Naru. I'm happy for you."

Naruto twists his hands up in his gloves. "But what about everyone else? Like Lee? He's my friend, and he used to like Gaara, maybe still does…"

Sakura lays her hand on his shoulder for comfort. "It'll be alright. If no one else, you two have my support."

"But you're a yaoi fan, so it hardly counts. Ino's probable approval, too, since she likes yaoi."

She removes her hand on his shoulder to playfully slap the same spot. "That may be so, but I'm not saying it only because of my love for yaoi. I'm also saying it because you two deserve each other and need one another, like I've said to you on multiple occasions. Plus, you're such a cute couple." She knocks off his bright orange hood just to annoy him. "It took some time, but it finally happened. I thought you'd be overjoyed."

"Believe me, I am! But… I'm a bit worried, too."

Sakura nods gravely and sits into the toboggan, feeling it jostle as Naruto sits in it behind her. She pushes at the ground with her hand to get them started down the hill they just hiked. They yell at the top of their lungs as their sled speeds downhill. When they slow and come to a stop, Sakura turns around to look Naruto in the eye. "I can see why you'd be worried. He didn't say it back, did he?"

"Well, he kinda did… he French'd me first, remember? And then there's the three lines from his Hold Fast poem: 'I may not say those three words directly, but I hope you comprehend what I'm trying to say'. So, you know, I think he does love me back. And if not…" Naruto stands from the snow day toy and helps Sakura out of it. "Then at least I can spend time with him."

"Good Foxy-kun," Sakura coos.

He bats her hand away and hoists the toboggan's pull string up over his shoulder. "Ready for another round, _Pinky_?"

Sakura ignores the nickname. "Only if you tell me how far you went when you made out with him! Top touch or bottom touch? Any groping?"

"Sakuraaa…" he groans, marching up the hill again, toboggan in tow.

"What? That'd be a nice early Christmas present; a big handful of –"

"My God, Sakura, I didn't know you were as much of a pervert as I am!" Naruto flushes.

"I'm not! I'm just a girl wanting details, that's all. Sheesh, get all worked up about it, why don't you?" she retorts, and she would cross her arms or place her hands on her hips if she wasn't treading up a snowy slope.

Naruto sighs. "For your information, my hands went up his shirt and kinda-sorta touched his nipple, **not** down his pants to touch… something else. I think he'd kick me in the groin if I tried something that far along the bases so soon."

"Hmm, that reminds me: what base would you two say you went to?"

The blonde snorts. "No where near home, that's for sure."

Sakura giggles. "I guess not. I mean, Gaara doesn't look like he'd be the type to do The Big Nasty until marriage. Er, if he were straight, I mean. Marriage for guys is… complicated."

"Unlike me and my intricate orientation, I don't think Gaara had ever cared. Marriage probably never crossed his mind. He's asexual; he hasn't told me, but I can tell."

"Sounds reasonable enough," the girl agrees.

And the rest of the day went like that. Conversation about love and marriage and children and sex and orientations and a game of Would You Rather that lasted for over an hour and made both of them blush and think of the stupidest things. Overall, it was normal teenaged conversation among friends.

And after a giant snowball fight with Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru and Chouji (who they found at the public park nearby), it was time to call it a day. The streetlights came on and the stars showed their winking eyes.

Kiba yawns. "Well, it's been fun, but me and my dog have to hurry home. See you at New Year's," and he began to walk away with Akamaru trotting behind him.

Of 'course, this was about an hour after Kiba had been in small shock upon hearing Gaara's and Naruto's new relationship status. Hinata had gasped and fainted, Shino had shrugged it off, Shikamaru was not as surprised and hardly cared, and Chouji was okay with it. Funny how the first people to know are mainly the people Naruto saw in his lunch hour every school day.

"I have to go home, too," Hinata said softly in her high, innocent-sounding voice. "Goodbye, everyone!"

"Bye," Naruto drawled out, Kiba's yawn contagious and spreading through him.

"I'm heading home as well," Shino stated. Soon, everyone was walking back to where they belonged.

Sakura waves to Naruto. "I can't wait until New Year's! You're inviting Gaara, right?"

He nods and waves back. "Of 'course!"

She smiles, and soon is turned about and on her way home, her toboggan scratching against the sidewalk.

When Naruto enters his own house, he shakes the snow from his clothing and shivers, determined to hop in the shower for some warmth right away, perhaps make some cocoa. Kyuubi hears him enter and looks up from his writing (he's paying the bills for the month) to greet the teen. "Have a good day?"

"I probably have frost bite; so yeah, I'd say it was a good day."

Kyuubi beams and sips some eggnog from a mug. "Glad to hear it."

"I'll be making cocoa pretty soon. What about dinner, though?"

"It's a catch night, so make what you like."

"Okay."

o0o0o0o0o

Kisame and Deidara sat in front of Pein, the informational folders on Naruto and Sasuke on the table between them. "Both of you lost your partners to prison, so I'm putting you two together for this revenge mission. Luckily for you, Deidara, I think there might be revenge for Sasori in the process."

"Really?"

Pein smirks and nods his head once. "Yup. You see, something tells me Gaara Sabaku will be trying to rescue the blonde as well. And his brother is the one who turned Sasori in. So if we set a trap to kidnap Gaara, we can send a ransom to his brother, or blackmail him. Either way, we get our payment for our loss of another fantastic Akatsuki member."

"I like the sound of that, un."

"I'll leave you to trap and contain Gaara, then. Kisame? You get Naruto. Both of you meet at the burnt down Chinese restaurant; no one has bought it to repaire it in over a year, so it's set to be demolished come spring. But right now, in the middle of winter and nearing Christmas, it should be completely forgotten about. Plus, it's in the middle of nowhere, next to a shopping complex and surrounded by parking lots. It's the perfect location for our trade-off."

"You're a fucking genius, Boss," Kisame smirks.

"And that's why I'm top dog around here. Now get working." And Pein dismisses them with a hand.

"Right, un."

"On our way…"

They exited the room. Walking in a troubled silence, the pair round a corner and exchange glances. Deidara smirks. "Looks like tomorrow will be a fun day, un."

Kisame chortles darkly. "A good day for death, I think."

"Humph, you and your death. Why can't you appreciate the art and thrill of the chase?" the blonde man asks.

"The thrill of the kill is much more satisfying. Especially if you use a gun as big as my own."

Deidara snorts. "At least you don't have a huge-ass sword that shreds people to bits, un."

"I wish that were legal, because if it was, you bet your chops I'd have a 'huge-ass sword'. This gun –" Kisame pats the loaded weapon on his back, "– Is as close as I could get. It has a sniper scope and silencer, and could break a femur with one bullet. Do you know what kind of killing machine I'm carrying?"

"Don't know, don't care," Deidara grunts. He flips his too-long hair. "All I care about is getting this Gaara kid and settling the score for Master Sasori."

Kisame pouts. "You're a lot less fun than Itachi."

"And you're a lot cockier than Sasori, un."

"…I hate you." The taller of the two sniffs as he turns down a different hallway.

"I hate you too, Fishman."

"I AM NOT A FISHMAN! These tattoos are to scare the enemy! I'm not actually part fish!"

"Whatever you say, un."

o0o0o0o0o

_From:__ FuzzyBrowsAttack(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject:** I just heard…_

_Naruto!_

_I got news from Sakura that you and Gaara are dating!! I can't believe it. Funny to think that merely two months ago I was crushing on him, and now you two are surrounded in the passionate flames of youth like two lovebirds! But I'm not jealous, I am happy for you. I don't think Gaara and I would have been the best match, anyhow. I will find my own match someday, I know that for sure! _

_Since I couldn't talk to you in school and I seemed to have misplaced your phone number, I decided to e-mail you. But now I must go take a couple laps around the block; did you know that running and breathing in cold air burns more calories and makes you stronger? Dad taught me that. He's knowledgeable in those sots of thing._

_Talk to you later,  
_'_Like A Rock' Lee_

Naruto giggles at Lee's use of words, specifically the 'flames of youth'. He gets that sort of thing from his father, Gai. But after the bubbles in his chest subside, he's left smiling with relief; Lee wasn't hurt, and everything was fine. The guy was like a little green rubber band ball, always flexible to adjust to things and always bouncing back.

Suddenly, Ino instant messages him. Naruto's eyes zoom over to the window that popped up with her username inside. She used hotmail and not yahoo. But the two are still compatible IM-ing programs.

_/OMG, Naruto!!1! Sakura just told me about u and Gaara! Dude, like, u have 2 tell me wut happnd. Srsly./_

Naruto rolls his eyes at her slang. He preferred to type out his replies fully and not take short cuts. _/Fine, I'll tell you, but only because I don't want the wrong rumors going around, M'kay? This is what happened: Gaara didn't want me to see the play, but I went anyway. I got busted. He half-yelled at me, demanding answers. So I told him that I love him, and suddenly he kisses me. It turns into a mini make-out session. I asked him if it means we're going out, and he said yes. That a good enough summary for you?/_

_/-squeal-!! That's so hawt! Thnx 4 telling me, Naru! Mwah! :3 …oh, and I promise not 2 tell a soul. U have my word. /_

_/Like I can trust your word. -sigh- So long as you don't stretch the truth and no adults find out yet, it's all good./_

_/heehee, OK. Thnx again./_

_/Yeah, yeah. I gotta go now, Ino. Talk to you later./_

_/OK! Ttyl, Naru! Kiss kiss :3/_

Naruto signs out and shakes his head. He turns back to his e-mail to write something to dear old Resshin.

_From:__ Addicted2Ramen(at)yahoo(dot)com  
To: CatastrophicHeart(at)yahoo(dot)com  
**Subject: **Great…_

_Resshin,_

_Great, look what we started. Now everyone is going to be talking about us. -headdesk-_

_But I'm actually really happy, despite any rumors. You were correct about us getting through it; I can feel that we will. Besides, to some people, us getting together was only a matter of time. Not to me, though. I was so afraid you'd reject my feelings… But that's all behind us. A new day is dawning, and Christmas is coming. Want to go out the 27th as a late present to each other? I don't care where… out to dinner, a movie, the arcade again, a night on the town, anything. Let's just have some fun. You need it, I know you do, so don't try and lie to me, mister. _

_You know, I really feel like these e-mails are becoming habit._

– _Shippuuden _

* * *

**A/N: once again i end with a e-mail. -shakes head- whatever.**

**the next chapter title is much too revealing to tell you now...**

**...but i'll tell you anyway because i want to thank you all for the 13,060 plus hits, 57 favs and 75 alerts. (LoL, 57/75... it's a palindrome. XD )**

**so...  
CHAPTER 31: A Captive And A Sacrifice**


	32. Chapter 31: A Captive And A Sacrifice

**A/N: i have a few small things to say. first - i would have posted this HOURS ago if my sister hadn't been hogging the only computer with internet by playing the Sims 2. second - i had to listen to a shitload of adrenaline-pumping songs while writing this. things like Drowning Pool's "Bodies", Disturb's "Meaning of Life" and "Down With The Sickness", Bullet For My Valentine's "Hand of Blood", some Dragonforce, Killswitch Engage's "Arms of Sorrow" and "End of a Heartache", as well as a few others. yeah. that brings me to my next note... third - does this chapter make my fic M-rated? i doubt it, but i'll ask anyhow. fourth - i have over half the next chapter typed up already, thanks to my sister hogging this computer. so you won't have to sit in suspence for long. and lastly, fifth - the next chapt is titled, Knocking On Heaven's Door. mwahaha. that gives you sad mental images, doesn't it? it's a great song, too, BTW. especially in this one Fullmetal Alchemist AMV i saw for it. :D  
**

* * *

Chapter 31: A Captive And A Sacrifice

"_Looks like tomorrow will be a fun day, un."_

Deidara's correct. Today, the 23rd, will indeed be a fun day. But "fun" isn't the proper term; it'll be more "exciting". And quite "eventful". And even more "painful".

It all began at about 8:30 in the morning at the Sabaku household. Gaara spoons a mouthful of cream of wheat into his mouth, the taste of melted butter and brown sugar meshing with the vanilla on his tongue. He chews thoughtfully a couple times before washing it down with a sip of coffee. Ah, coffee; one of the great wonders of the world.

"They making you work today at the bookstore, bro?" Kankurou asks as he lamely pours a bowl of sugared cereal.

"Yes," he says simply. He doesn't bother to give specifics of work hours.

"Too bad. I wanted to do some last-minute Christmas shopping."

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve; how last-minute were you planning on getting our gifts?"

Kankurou winks. In a sly tone, he says: "Who said they were yours?"

Gaara rolls his eyes and briefly shakes his head. "I'm glad Temari's arriving today."

"Speaking of her, I bet she'll love seeing you this way. It's a lot better than when she was last here." Kankurou states as he uncaps the milk and pours it over his cereal from about a foot high in the air form the bowl, promptly splashing creamy white all over the place.

The younger sibling cocks his head ever-so-slightly. "What do you mean?"

It was Kankurou's turn to roll his eyes. "Gaara, _come on_. Even I can tell something's up with you. I saw your medication bottle this morning… you haven't taken any of it in a long while, have you? Since Thanksgiving? Longer? And you're talking a lot more. And you're making a few more facial expressions than usual. I dunno, maybe it's because there's no school for two weeks, or maybe it's something else."

Gaara's eyes narrow. He hasn't put on his eyeliner yet, and the two identical bags around his eyes make him look strange when he does the motion. "What are you hinting at?"

Kankurou grins. "I'm a man, Gaara. I've been through high school and have seen enough of college and movies to come to the conclusion that you're seeing someone. So who is she? Is she hot? Did you get any pussy yet?"

"I hate that word."

The brunette frowns. "What word?"

"You know the one. It sounds barbaric and idiotic, like you're calling a girl's genital area a cat." Gaara says monotonously.

"So I'm guessing you didn't get any."

"No."

"Hmm, well, I guess not everyone in the family can be as much of a stud as me," Kankurou jokes with a false ego. "But can you at least tell me who she is?"

"_He_," Gaara corrects.

His brother's grin evaporates. "…Pardon?"

"It's a he, not a she. And if you get homophobic on me, I have half a mind to –" Gaara begins, but Kankurou gets the picture and raises his hands in defeat.

"Hey man, I wasn't about to get on your case about dating a guy. I mean…" he scratches his scalp, "I'm a little surprised, 'cause, I dunno, I never thought you'd be batting for your own team some day, but whatever floats your boat. Is he at least a wholesome guy? Not some druggie punk who slits his wrists or anything crazy, right?"

Gaara's spoon hovers in the air for a moment as he sighs flatly. "No. It's Uzumaki," he states and shoves the bite of porridge in.

Kankurou laughs a bit nervously. "Heh, for a second there, I thought you said it was that Naruto kid."

The poet smirks lightly. "I did."

"Whoa…Didn't see that one coming. You two got into a fight in 8th grade, didn't you? I saw you guys at the funeral together, but I assumed…" He looks quizzically at his younger brother. "You two weren't dating then, were you?"

"No. We made it official the other day, after _Rent_ was finished. At the funeral he was merely consoling me as a friend."

"Oh… so this recent, huh? Well, I guess I'm happy you have someone. It's not healthy for a teenaged guy to go around and say he's never had his first kiss." Kankurou pauses in getting a spoon for his cereal and looks unbelievingly at his brother. "Wait, has he kissed you yet?"

"Yes."

"…You make it sound like it was more than once."

"It was." Another light smirk as Gaara remembers the blissful touching and tongue-action during their last kiss.

Kankurou blinks a few times. He blows air through his lips in a means of being flabbergasted. "Okay, that's enough information for me. I'm taking my cereal and my coffee to where things make sense: the living room with the TV on. I'll be there for the next few hours if you need me." He picks up his cereal bowl, the spoon clanking and sliding around. He pauses and turns back to Gaara before taking his mug of coffee. "Does Uncle Shu know about this?"

"No, and I don't intend on telling him anytime soon. I wasn't even going to tell you, but you brought it up."

The brunette shrugs and takes the mug. "Whatever. I won't tell. But promise me you'll tell Temari at some point while she's here."

Gaara nods curtly. "I was planning on it."

"Good, because I sure as hell ain't telling her."

o0o0o0o0o

Hour: 11:00 later that same morning; a lunch hour for some, and a plotting hour for others.

"These are drastic times, Kisame," Deidara smirks. "And drastic measures are called for, un."

"Yeah. Gangs running around left and right, teenagers poking their noses in places they don't belong… it's chaos. And chaos needs order. Which is why we're here, right, Deidara? Eventually, when the Akatsuki has the world on their knees, order will come. Pein will make sure of it."

"But for today, we have two rats to weed out, un. Rats that squealed on our partners and got them locked up. A punk college kid and Itachi's own brother; that's screwed up, un."

Kisame twitches. "I'm going to want to kill you by the time our mission is over."

"Why?"

"You keep grunting after every other sentence! It's so annoying! How did Sasori ever put up with you?!" the shark-tattooed man snaps.

"If you must know, he put up with me because we shared a bed, un."

Kisame's eyes to wide before shrinking into his head. He looks away. "Uhg, I seriously didn't need to know that. Ever." Kisame grimaces. "I think lost my appetite for lunch, now."

Er, yes, quite eventful… if the two Akatsuki members can get their operation together, that is.

o0o0o0o0o

"I close my eyes, and I smile,  
Knowing that everything is alright,  
To the core, so close that door,  
Is this happening?"

Naruto sings as he dashes across his room, cleaning it; a rare feat for him to accomplish. He tosses some dirty clothes in the hamper like basketballs in a hoop and continues:

"My breath is on your hair,  
I'm unaware,  
That you open the blinds and let the city in.  
You held my hand, and we stare,  
Just taking in everything…"

You're probably wondering why such a romantic Blue October song is being sung by our blonde, when he hardly likes Blue October (Sasuke is the one who likes them, if you recall). Well, if you just got an e-mail back from the person you're in love with saying yes to an actual, planned date, you'd be singing love songs and randomly doing household chores, too. Especially if it's as cold and snowy as it was outside.

"And I knew it from the start,  
My arms are open wide,  
And your head is on my stomach  
And we're trying so hard not to fall asleep…  
Here we are… on this 18th floor balcony,  
We're both flying away…

"So we talk about Moms and Dads  
And family pasts,  
Just getting to know where we came from.  
Our hearts were on display, for all to see,  
I can't believe this is happening to me.  
I raise my hand as if to show you that I was yours;  
So yours for the taking, I'm so yours for the taking…  
That's when I felt the wind pick up,  
I grabbed the rail while choking up these words to say  
And then you kissed me, yeah."

The entire time he sang, Naruto rid his floor of litter and made his bed. He pictured him and Gaara acting the way the couple was in the song while singing, effortlessly remembering their most recent kiss and feeling not at all ashamed of it. But felt it was too personal to tell his uncle about quite yet.

"I knew it from the start,  
My arms are open wide,  
And your head is on my stomach  
And we're trying so hard not to fall asleep…  
Here we are… on this 18th floor balcony,  
We're both flying away…

"I'll try to sleep,  
To keep you in my dreams  
Until I can bring you home with me.  
I'll try to sleep,  
And when I do I'll keep you in my… dreams…"

The birds came to mind, Shippuuden and Resshin, flying in a swirl of red and gold. During the small musical interlude, Naruto attacked his dresser. He began organizing the items on top and straightening the contents of it's drawers when Kyuubi came pounding on the door.

"Son, I'm going to the post office to send these bills off. I'll be back in half an hour, give or take; traffic might be bad, so who knows."

"Okay, see you soon. And drive safe!" Naruto called in a chipper tone.

On the other side of his bedroom wall, Kyuubi was chuckling to himself. "Either the boy is crazed, or he's in love; singing cheesy songs like that and cleaning his room…" He shakes his head and tosses his russet orange hair. Strolling to his car, keys in hand, Kyuubi added: "Not that there's such of a difference; love makes people do crazy things."

If only he knew how true that statement could be.

o0o0o0o0o

"It's nearly 1:00. Can I go yet or not?!" Kisame whined.

"I'm almost finished! Art takes time, un." Deidara pieces the last of his contraption together and stands it upright. "There. Now we can move."

The odd pair hops into Kisame's car, a black Mercedes. Kisame glances at the weapon in back. "What is that thing, anyway?"

"You like it? It's a net launcher I modified to shoot wads of sticky clay, un. I found that clay stops you dead in your tracks and is harder to break through than nets. Plus, it's artistic, un."

"You're insane, you know that?"

"This from the man who looks like a shark, un?" Kisame grumbles out a reply to that but gets ignored because Deidara keeps talking. "I won't be able to aim like I used to, however; that ANBU girl, Meika, wounded my right arm a few months ago, un. And now my tendons in my elbow don't work as well."

"Sucks for you."

"Thanks for caring, un," Deidara retorts sarcastically. He looks to the road ahead of them. "Do you even know where you're going?"

"Our target should be at home today, so I'm headed for his house. But not until I drop you off at the rendezvous point. I want to do this alone," Kisame replies stiffly. He smirks. "So yes, I know where I'm going."

After some time, Kisame pulls onto Naruto's street.

"There it is," Kisame says triumphantly to no one in particular, since Deidara was now waiting for him back at the burnt building. "Now to grab the kid and get on with this mission."

Kisame parks the car a few houses in distance away from Naruto's. The Akatsuki member slips through backyards and goes around bushes and trees until he spot movement up in Naruto's bedroom. The blonde man had lent him the bazooka-like clay launcher. Kisame loads the canon and shoots a line of clay on the paneling of the house leading up to the window. He laughs once. "Thanks, Deidara; it's like rock climbing."

Kisame begins scaling the clay hand- and footholds. The cold is settling into his skin, but he doesn't mind it none.

When he reaches Naruto's window, he spins his gun around to his front and shatters the glass. The screen pops out of it's place and land on the floor. A yell is heard, along with rock music. Kisame jumps into the window and rolls into the room, landing on one knee. "Hello, Naruto Uzumaki."

But the boy isn't there. His door is wide open, and footsteps are heard sprinting down the hallway.

Kisame sighs. "Why must they always run? Why can't they stand frozen in fear? I like it better when they're frozen." Sighing, he flies through the house in hot pursuit, thinking that Naruto is headed for the front door.

In actuality, Naruto ran to the subbasement for his adoptive father's tools. He finds a sledgehammer he can easily swing around, but must weigh somewhere near 50 pounds. Hmm, I don't know my own strength, he thinks hysterically as adrenaline and panic rush through his body.

He jogs up the short set of stairs and faces Kisame at the foot of the next set.

The shark-like man smirks down at him. "You can't expect to hurt me with that," he chuckles darkly.

"Says you," Naruto growls. "What do you want?"

"Revenge, pure and simple. And you're going to help me get it."

He stampede's down the stairs, ready to grab Naruto. "Put the hammer down and come quietly, boy," Kisame coaxes.

_Why is he here? Why does he want me? Why now?_ "No way!" Naruto barks, his eyes darting back and forth between Kisame's hands and the front door. _Can I escape through the door? But where will I go? I can't lead him to Gaara's or any of my friend's houses… Dad. I could hop in the car and drive to the post office. Dad has his cell phone, and he can call the police._

Naruto throws open the front door and looks at his neighborhood. Icy winter air whisked in through the open doorway, sending shivers up Naruto's spine. He stands sideways to watch Kisame and plan out the best escape route to the vibrant green Nissan.

"You want to do this the hard way, huh?"

Naruto doesn't reply, he bolts for outside, despite the unfit clothing he's wearing. Kisame follows, and while jogging, the blonde swings the hammer and nearly crushes Kisame's hand.

"Get over here you brat!"

"Stay away from me!" He snarls in reply, chucking the sledgehammer at the shark man. It spins in the air and knocks Kisame's leg. A small crunch is felt, and Kisame begrudgingly guesses he cracked one of the two bones in his right calf.

Suddenly, he stops running. Naruto keeps heading for the vehicle, oblivious to the man's lack of chase. Kisame pulls the gun from it's strap on his back. Then, as Naruto is fumbling with his keys, he whacks the boy on the head with the handle. "Enough of this chasing shit."

The hurricane is blown into a black oblivion, his consciousness lost to cold black waves of sleep.

"Now let's get you wrapped up for Sasuke as a surprise Christmas present," Kisame smirks. It's the last thing Naruto heard.

o0o0o0o0o

"I'm really worried, Officer; I come home after dropping some bill payments off at the post office, and I come home to find the lock on my door broken and a bunch of glass and a bent screen in my so– I mean nephew's room!" Kyuubi explains in a broken tone. His eyes look watery and an earthier brown than they ever have, the rest of his eyes bloodshot from crying.

"And there was the sledgehammer. We're searching it for fingerprints now, but I'm betting your nephew was trying to use it to protect himself from whoever broke in and took him." The police man nods as he fills the blanks on his crime report sheet with chicken scratch writing.

"You are going to find him, aren't you?" Kyuubi asks hopefully. His voice wavers, and he sniffs to hold back more tears. Coming home and finding Naruto missing… it made him sick inside.

"Unlike most cops, I'm not going to say 'we'll do what we can'. Mr. Bijuu, I swear to you that we'll find your nephew. I can't swear what condition he'll be in, but we'll find him. Teens go missing every so often, but it's nothing we can't handle." The officer replies as the buzz of his comrades behind him do their work. It looked like a regular crime scene, minus the blood and dead body.

"Thank you," the businessman mutters.

Meanwhile, a story forms at the news station.

"Are we ready to broadcast? Okay. Ahem… Good afternoon everyone, I'm A. Haruno of the 4:00 news. Today at approximately 2:00 p.m. a local student at Konoha High went missing. Police say there were signs of a struggle. The boy was Naruto Uzumaki, an orphan living with his uncle on the east side of town. The search for him began an hour ago. If you have any information on where he could be or if you've seen anything, please call one of these numbers. One is my daughter's cell phone; she's a close friend and helping the police. The other is his uncle's home phone number."

Kankurou stared at the television screen. "Uh… Gaara? You might want to come see this."

The redhead is down the stairs in seconds and glances at the screen once. A woman stands with an urgent look on her face as she speaks to the camera, Naruto's face grinning in a freeze-frame square in the corner. MISSING was written diagonally across his face in bold yellow letters. A summary of the police report scrolled across the bottom in a strip of letters, and two phone numbers labeled 'cell' and 'home' flashed right above the police report.

Gaara dropped everything. His facial mask, his shield, the remaining ice around his heart. It all came crashing down in the blink of an eye.

"Gaara? Are you okay? You're face is all twisted up…" Kankurou says shakily. "Hey, little bro… can you hear me?" His gaze returns to the screen. "You know, they could find him in a few hours… it'll be fine."

"No," Gaara says sternly. "No, it won't be 'fine'. I have to find him."

"What? No! Leave it to the police! They know what they're doing."

"No they don't!" Gaara barked. He threw the side of his fist against the wall nearest him. A thick bang sounded in the house, a noise that signified all Gaara's anger, worry, panic, sorrow, and need to set things right. "I'm leaving," he says as he marches for the door and throws on his jacket.

Kankurou stands. "Temari will be here soon –"

"Then stay and meet her. I can't go to work or sit around the house until I find him." The earthquake says stubbornly.

His elder brother wheels him around to look him in the eyes. But when he sees tears making thin trails in his blocky eyeliner and streaking down his face, Kankurou stops. Gaara hasn't cried not one single time since he was a child. "You… you're serious."

"Damn straight!" Gaara retorts lowly. He heads for the door once more, the sound of car keys filling the silence between them.

"Be safe."

And Gaara was out the door in a flash.

o0o0o0o0o

When Naruto came to, his vision was blurry and he was cold. And not the usual chilly cold you get early in the morning waiting for your bus to arrive, or the airy cold you get in an overly air conditioned classroom, nor the numbing cold you feel after a day's worth of playing in the snow. No, this was the bone-quavering cold that wracks your body with painful ice down to your very core. The sort of cold you get if you – by a stupid dare from a friend – go out in the dead of winter with only swimming trunks on.

Naruto had left the house with very little on; he hadn't showered yet, so he was left wearing pajamas. He felt bonds on his wrists and ankles, and there was a line of silver tape covering his mouth. Bind and gag, like in the movies. He never thought that'd he'd be the victim.

"Look, Deidara, he's awake. Should I tell him now?"

"Sure, g'head."

Kisame walks into Naruto's vision with a smirk on his sharky face. His teeth are horribly disfigured; they're pointed at the tips to look like real shark teeth. Naruto shudders at the thought of what those teeth could do to human flesh. "Afternoon, Blondie. Let me introduce myself: I'm Kisame. You might know my ex-partner… he's a brother of a good friend of yours… which is why we need you here. See, Sasuke hurt the Akatsuki when he sent one of it's top members to jail. So, to lure him here, we caught you. The missing person's report should be on the news by now, and everyone should be looking for you. But we're in the storage room of a burned down Chinese restaurant, so I doubt they'll find you. Sasuke might, though; he's been around the ANBU and the Akatsuki and knows how gangs work. He should be here by the end of the day… at least, that's what we're betting on."

"You forgot to mention his dear boyfriend, un." Deidara reminds.

"Oh, that's right… See, my new partner here has some unfinished business to take care of as well: revenge for his ex-partner Sasori, another member we lost to the Big House. You boyfriend's brother messed that up, so as soon as he comes looking for you, too, we're going to snag him and get his brother to pay us back. A little tit for tat, you know? Nothing special. As soon as we get what we want from the Sabaku guy and the Uchiha, we'll let you and your gay lover go. Sound fair?" Kisame taunts, leaning down to breathe his foul breath in Naruto's face.

Naruto's heart and breathing rate speeds up angrily. He grunts and roars through his gag. He was furious and didn't approve of this plan at all. He shuffled in his seat and attempted to tear his bonds apart, but to no avail; he's not a ninja, he's not a spy, and he's not in some movie where everything works out alright. This is real life, and he's rendered helpless.

"Isn't that cute, Dei? He thinks he can escape."

"Real cute, un."

Kisame raises his hand to his chin, as if in thought. "You know, he's a little too perfect of a package. Sasuke deserves damages goods. What d'ya think? Should I mess him up a bit, Deidara?"

"Yes, I think so." Deidara grins darkly.

Naruto glances between them, panic rising in his chest with creeping fingers.

Grinning, Kisame moves forward and kicks Naruto hard in the leg. "That's for the sledgehammer," he mutters cruelly. "And this… is for Itachi," Kisame says, punching Naruto in the gut. "And then this? This is for no reason at all, really; just to make you look more broken than you could be right now."

Kisame makes a final blow by snapping Naruto's right wrist (he was thankful it wasn't his left; he needs his left to write, but they don't know that) to the point of breaking. Naruto screams through the duck tape as shooting pain heats up his icily numbed arm.

And the two of them laugh evilly at his muffled cries. Naruto whimpers and hates feeling helpless. He refuses to shed tears for their pleasure, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to bawl his brains out right now.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara didn't care about speed limits. Nor did he care about where he was headed. He wanted a clue, some sort of sign – be it totally insignificant and vague like a blonde hair – as to where Naruto could be. He wanted it to be like his dream where he saw the captor with the captive, and where he could easily trace his hurricane. But this wasn't a dream. And he wasn't finding a single hint.

But then, like a miracle from God, he felt his heart ache as he passed an old scorched building on the west edge of town. His heart was pulling in his chest towards that building, as if it were being controlled by invisible strings. _A connection to someone else's heart. _

The redhead didn't hesitate to hit the brakes and give this place a try. If nothing was there, he could always keep looking.

He parked near the front of the previous restaurant, slamming his car door shut and taking a bold step forward. And another. And another. And another, until he reached the billowing plastic and wooden boards that sealed the entrance. He pried them off, easy as pie, as though they were hardly being held on in the first place.

Gaara walks inside and yells as loud as he can without his voice breaking. More tears burn and threaten to pour over his eyes and onto his numbly frozen cheeks, but he somehow manages to hold them in. "SHIPPUUDEN!"

o0o0o0o0o

"Did you hear something?" Kisame wonders aloud.

"No, why?" his associate asks.

"No reason, I just thought I heard a voice."

"Well you didn't, un. Must've been the wind."

But Naruto knew otherwise. He could sense it, **feel** it in his heart; his red bird was here. His Resshin. His _Gaara_.

The blonde screamed through his tape-gag, the powerful burst of opening his jaw as wide as it would go and breathing so heavily with saliva causing the duck tape to peel half of the way off in one quick movement. "–SSHIN!" he's able to shout.

"Shut him up, _shut him up_!" Deidara growls. "Get more tape and wrap it around his whole head this time! Idiot, un!"

Kisame scowls and does as he's told.

But Gaara heard. And he was coming.

Picking up a pipe he found lying on the floor, smudged charcoal black and beginning to rust, he runs toward where he heard the sound. _Below,_ he thinks logically. _The sound came from below, and in the back of the building. _

Gaara races towards the small set of stairs (only five) near where the kitchen used to be. He jumps down them and bursts through the metal door.

And there, in the center of the storage room, is Naruto on a chair, his limbs tied and his mouth sewn shut. He was clad only in a pair of baggy pajama shorts and a t-shirt. _He must be freezing!_ Gaara thinks worriedly. Then he notices Naruto's limp wrist and sees a half-shown blotch of purple on Naruto's leg in the dim lighting. _And someone hurt him… they will pay!!_

Two men wearing Akatsuki armbands stand in attention at the sound of Gaara bursting in through the door. They glare at the redhead and pick up their weapons. The blonde one is armed with a bazooka-shaped gun and fires globs of pasty gray at him, but he doges them uses the pipe to swat one away.

"Give him to me!" Gaara demands, smacking the pipe against the ground for effect. Adrenaline bubbles up inside of his frame and scorches his insides.

"Not so fast, loverboy," Kisame says. "We need him a little bit longer until Sasuke Uchiha gets here. So why don't you chill out, ditch the pipe, and come sit down next to your boyfriend?"

Gaara says not a word. He bares his teeth at the two adults and clutches the pipe tighter until his already pale knuckles become bleach white.

Then, he strikes.

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke was called by Sakura long before the news aired, and he was currently with the police searching. That is, until his car gets waved down by a black-haired teen with gray eyes.

Sai.

The boarding school dropout slows to a stop near the sidewalk and raises a suspicious eyebrow. Rolling down his window to allow the heat exit his car, he asks, "What do you want, Sai?"

"I may know where Naruto is. The ANBU knows every meeting place of the Akatsuki, so I have a pretty good hunch where he might be." Sai informs him.

Sasuke looks the other boy over form top to bottom, not sure if he should trust someone form a gang he ended up not joining. With a sigh, he says finally, "Get in. And no funny business."

"I wouldn't dream of it, dickhead."

Sasuke grunts disapprovingly at the name but unlocks his vehicle anyhow. He begins to drive again once Sai is buckled in the passenger seat. "So where is he? Where's my best friend?"

"Follow Main Street to the old Chinese restaurant that went up in flames a year ago. They should be using the old freezer, storage room, or bathrooms as their place for the captive." Sai says calmly.

Sasuke drives a few minutes in silence. Before they arrive, Sai asks for him to stop.

"This is where I leave you."

"Before you go, Sai… I want to know why you're helping me, and why you warned me at Halloween that I'm being targeted by my brother's group." Sasuke says, locking the door like he had when Naruto had rode to school with him.

Sai grins one of his fake smiles. "Oh, I'm not helping you because of the ANBU, if that's what you're thinking. To be honest, the ANBU would love to destroy every last threat to Konoha, including the remaining Uchiha; that's you. But I like you and don't think you deserve to be caught in a trap and possibly killed. I think you deserve some happiness, despite what a lunatic you can be."

"Lunatic?! I'm no –"

"Well, see you at school, Sasuke Uchiha. And good luck." Then he leaves, and Sasuke is driving alone in his car once more.

When he arrives at the abandoned Chinese place, he's both surprised and not surprised to find two cars near it. One he recognized from the school parking lot, and the other was a black Mercedes he's seen in his driveway a few times to pick Itachi up… yes, the Akatsuki were definitely here. Their car was hidden behind the old restaurant, but that didn't stop Sasuke from spotting it.

"Better get the heavy artillery," the raven-haired teen mutters to himself. He reaches in the backseat to uncover a weapon the police missed while they were searching: a grey Colt-45 automatic pistol. He isn't very good at handling guns – he wasn't the type of child to play with plastic guns or the type to shoot Nazis like a psychopath on World War II video games. He only knew the basics of a gun: how to load it, cock it, and pull the trigger. Aim was a bonus. And knowing the consequences of using one was common sense.

Letting out an unsteady breath, Sasuke leaves the safety of his car and ventures into the forgotten building. He hears rustling and clanking and a few muffled blasts coming from somewhere in back. Like Gaara, he follows the sounds and goes to the storage room in the lower back.

He cautiously creeps to the open metal door, taking a peek inside. What Sasuke finds is a catastrophe unfolding.

"Come on, Sabaku, give it up! You're outnumbered and outmatched. And your cute boyfriend over there is crying. He doesn't want to see you get hurt; you wouldn't want him to lose you, would you? That would just devastate him." Kisame sneers at the redhead.

"_Shut_ your _fucking_ mouth!" Sasuke hears (but can't see from his angle) Gaara reply. He hears a grunt from the same teen and the grit of metal sliding against cement, paired with the thud of footsteps. Gaara comes into view, a dirty pipe in his hands, and he's puffing out clouds of breath. Even at a distance Sasuke can see an ugly frown plastered on Gaara's brow.

There's a loud cracking sound as a pipe connects with Kisame's head. A softer noise sounds as Deidara gasps and Kisame falls to the ground in a dizzy heap. He's holding his head and moaning, a few trickles of blood leaking between his fingers. "What the fuck?!" the shark man croaks. "You just hit me!" He makes it sound like he's never been hit in his life.

"And I'll do it again!" Gaara barks. Deidara stands and is about to shoot some sort of canon at Gaara, but Sasuke has seen enough.

Sasuke reveals himself and Deidara's gaze falls on him. He smirks. "Finally, the real prize is here, un," he says.

Meanwhile, Gaara is sweating inside his coat and panting. He strips it and throws it in Naruto's general direction, hoping it finds the blonde and warms him some. Because, at the moment, Gaara doesn't need it, and figures Naruto does.

Shaking his hair form his eyes, Gaara bats at Kisame as he tries to stand, ultimately knocking the breath out of him and sending him to his knees. "You little bastard!" Kisame wheezes. He reaches for Gaara's legs and drags him down by the ankles, And Gaara winces when his tailbone meets the hard ground.

Sasuke points his gun at Deidara. "Don't move. Your toy can't be faster than my brother's Colt."

Deidara pauses and drops his clay launcher. He raises his hands above his head. "Mm, you're right. I better listen to you and not get involved."

Sasuke looks confused. There's an edge in Deidara's voice, like he knows something Sasuke doesn't.

Suddenly, Deidara's cold blue eyes flicker over to Kisame, and Sasuke's nearly black ones follow. The shark is standing and holding his gun to Gaara's chest. Naruto is weeping and squirming in his bonds more than ever, yelling inside of his gag. It angers Sasuke to see Naruto react so much, but he ignores the feeling as Gaara walks right into the nose of the gun, daring Kisame to shoot. It has a silencer on it's barrel, Sasuke notices. If he shoots, no one will hear it, even if they were to be driving by this building right as it goes off.

But there's something else only Sasuke and Naruto can see from their angles: Gaara lost the pipe sometime during his scuffle with Kisame (when Sasuke had been paying attention to Deidara and not his rival), but he's holding something behind his back that's dripping blood from the palm of his hand: a broken piece of glass.

Suddenly, Deidara sees the glass. "Kisa–!" he tries to warn.

But in one fail swoop, it happens:

Kisame tightens his grip on the trigger, but Gaara kicks upwards and knocks the gun from his hands. A shot blasts at empty air, and Gaara moves in to gut Kisame with the glass.

The pressure sends the long, jagged scrap of glass burrowing deep inside Kisame's lower abdomen, releasing acids form his stomach and intestines. Kisame screams bloody murder and chokes on bile and blood rising to his throat. He collapses on the ground, slowly dying.

"That what you get for abducting and harming my Naruto, you mother fucker." Gaara spits vengefully.

Sasuke feels his jaw drop. Gaara just **killed** somebody… _because of Naruto._ Casting his eyes away from Kisame's fallen body, Sasuke looks at Deidara in time to see him pick up his launcher and shoot.

Clay blasts and pins Gaara to the ground at Naruto's feet, giant globs of the sticky stuff encasing one wrist and both his calves. He became immobile. Naruto looked down at him and made a face, and in turn Gaara looked up to send him a weak smile. _'Are you alright?!' 'I'm fine,' _they communicate silently. The redhead raises his free hand to rub at Naruto's knee. He doesn't even seem to care that he ended someone's life; all he cares about is Naruto.

Feeling guilty and jealous for reasons he doesn't want to explain at the moment, Sasuke cocks his handgun and aims it at Deidara. "Make one more move and I fire!"

Deidara rolls his eyes. "I highly doubt you can shoot me, Uchiha. You brother always had a soft spot when it came down to victims. It made him weak in the ANBU's eyes. That's why we tested him by making him kill his whole family. But when it came to you, he just didn't have the heart. He looked at you, his adorable baby brother, the one family member he actually bonded with, and couldn't kill you. It's pathetic. Funny how you repay him with your life by running his and sending him to prison."

_He's just saying this to get under my skin, _Sasuke thinks reasonably, trying to shake his head free of his other thoughts. Thoughts that included how sorry his brother had been, how he had wanted to say something after admitting being their parent's killer, and how he should have waited and listened and loved his brother when he had the chance. How he shouldn't have distrusted and hated him all those years since his family's death. "No!" Sasuke snaps, and pulls the trigger five times.

**Bang! Bang! B****angbang, BANG! **

Smoke wafted in a thin stream from Sasuke's pistol, the last bang echoing off the brick walls of the storage room.

Deidara roars and clutches the top hand of his left bicep, the remaining bicep and entire forearm and hand lying on the ground two feet away from his shoes. Dark crimson spurts from Deidara's stump of an arm, and he pants heavily. "YOU SON OF A BITCH, UN!"

"I… I…." Sasuke gasps, his face in utter shock. He both meant to and didn't mean to shoot Deidara's left arm. It was the one that held the clay bazooka, so he thought of he just shot at it randomly, the blonde man might drop his weapon. But instead… he shot Deidara's left arm clean off.

Enraged, Deidara picks up Kisame's dropped weapon and holds it shakily in his right arm, the one Meika had injured. His aim is poorly pointed in the direction of Gaara and Naruto, though not specifically at one boy or the other. It was a coin flip at who would be hit if Deidara fired.

"NOOO!" Sasuke yells. He dives forward to either knock the gun so it shoots Gaara or so that it drops from Deidara's hand.

Neither happens.

Instead, Deidara shoves Sasuke to the ground with his left leg, his teeth ground together from the pain and frustration of Sasuke interfering. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DIE, DAMMIT! SO NOW YOUR LITTLE CRUSH IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"

Sasuke watches for a millisecond as Naruto's eyes bulge from his sockets and his pupils contract to the size of a pinhead in fear. The color drains from his scarred face and he visibly gulps, his Adam's apple bobbing on his neck.

Sasuke can't stand to see Naruto so afraid. He has one thought: _Mimic Gaara; protect Naruto. _

Everything occurs in slow motion:

Deidara grinds his teeth and shuts his eyes from the pain of his lost left arm. He pulls the trigger.

Sasuke forces his body to stand and he limps (he had twisted his ankle when he fell from Deidara kicking him) towards his crush.

Gaara shouts something incomprehensible.

Three rapid shots ring, amplified to Sasuke's ears even with the silencer in place on the nuzzle.

And the lone thing on Sasuke's mind is the searing, nauseating, explosive pain.


	33. Chapter 32: Knocking On Heaven's Door

Chapter 32: Knocking On Heaven's Door

A thump. Ragged breathing. A laboring heart. An overloaded mind. Spilling of blood and white onto the cement floor. _Shut down, sleep, rest,_ his brain orders. But Sasuke cannot obey.

Deidara falls to his knees and drops Kisame's gun. He whimpers silently and shudders in the cold. If he didn't get to a hospital soon, he was going to bleed to death from his missing arm. "You… brats…" he mutters, falling on his face.

Deidara may be passed out and Kisame may be dead, but there is still danger. Sasuke has been shot, Naruto is still tied, and there is no help for miles.

Thinking fast, Gaara begins tearing at the clay on his wrist. It comes off in chunks and sticks to his fingers, but after wiping his bloody hands repeatedly on the rough cement and holding back his panicking nerves enough to work, he's able to free his wrist and tackle the collage of clay on his calves.

Sasuke rests his head and with a groan rolls onto his back, trying to stop the blood running down the front of his legs with his hands. But it's useless; he has a bullet in his foot, a bullet in his thigh a ways up the same leg, and a bullet currently destroying his future egg fertilizers and any chance of sexing someone up.

He can't take this. He can't take the pain. It's everywhere! Excruciating pain running down his right side; stinging with a raw tenderness that was fiery on the edges in a way Sasuke has never known. It's over-stimulating his brain, making his head throb with a headache. He can't stand it much longer…! Not to mention the stabbing cold of the winter is flowing over his body's wounds and making things worse.

Sasuke had been able to protect Naruto… but at what cost? They say love makes you do crazy things… maybe that phrase didn't always involve stalking and jealousy plans and obsessing. Maybe it involved risking your life.

"Fuck…"Sasuke grinds out. "I should've let this be... Gaara… and not… me…"

Not three feet away, Gaara resents that statement and glares at the raven-haired boy. Then, resuming his task, he rips off the last of the clay from his legs. He leaps to his feet and whirls around to help Naruto. The blonde nods to the pocket on his pajamas. Gaara raises an eyebrow and puzzles over the shape he saw through the fabric. It looked like…

The redhead reaches into Naruto's pocket and pulls out a Swiss army knife. He sends Naruto a look, questioning why he has a Swiss army knife in his pajamas of all places. Naruto rolls his eyes, as if replying, 'un-tape my mouth and I might be able to tell you'.

Gaara does so, using the scissors in the contraption to cut the silver tape. He unwraps it from Naruto's head and without hesitation kisses his lips. "I'm glad you're safe," he whispers.

Naruto shakes his head. "Not yet; Sasuke's in mortal trouble, and I don't know where we are! How did you find me, anyway?!"

"Instinct," Gaara replies as he uses the blade of the knife to cut the rope on his boyfriend's wrists.

Once Naruto's free, he cradles his wrist in his other hand and stands. He shivers, and Gaara places his discarded coat on the blonde. He hands him his car keys with bloody hands, still freshly cut by the glass. "Go out to my car and drive to the police. Don't worry, we're still in Konoha; they didn't take you very far. I'll grab the Uchiha and use the Akatsuki members' car to go to the hospital. Meet us there after you find Kyuubi."

"But Gaara –"

He shakes his head and digs in Kisame's coat pockets for keys. "No _'but'_s, Naruto. Do as I say and go."

He didn't like having to follow orders, but frankly Naruto didn't mind that Gaara was taking charge. His head was still messed up from the events and couldn't think straight. At least Gaara was.

Once he was in the car and speeding away, Naruto's thoughts became less frozen as heat from the car warmed him and the pain dulled in his aching wrist. _Gaara… he killed someone… I-I don't know if it was necessary or not, or self-defense or not. But he still murdered someone, and all to protect me. And Sasuke.. he… he could die with that many bullets in him! And all because of me, again! Why? What for? Who's bright idea was this whole scheme, anyhow?! Fucking Akatsuki… just because Itachi got sent to jail, they think they can get their revenge by taking things out on Sasuke. And using me in the process. But Gaara… they wanted to use him, too, because of his brother sending Sasori or whatever his name was to jail as well. What's wrong with them?! So some of their members got caught! So WHAT? You don't have to take it out on other people! That's just… insane!!_

The hospital appeared in sight, but Naruto kept driving. He went all the way to the police station. He got out of Gaara's car and tread the stops and opened the doors. A man took one look at him and blinked hard a few times in shock. "You… You're the boy on the news! Naruto Uzumaki! You're alive!!"

Naruto nods and smiles weakly. "Yeah, I am, but there's a lot more that you need to know. Can I talk to the head officer, please? Oh, and you might want to call a medic. My wrist is broken and so is one of my ribs, I think." The shocked man scrambles around, trying to do what Naruto's requesting. Another cop, less of a rookie, approaches.

"…And we should get you a phone. There's someone who should know where you are, and that you're safe." He holds out his personal cell. "I think Mr. Bijuu was his name."

The blonde teen grins thankfully and takes the cellular phone. "Yeah, that's right; my dad."

o0o0o0o0o

Kyuubi could get pretty clingy if the situation called for it. And boy, did it call for it.

"Oh my God, Naruto, oh my God…" he cried, clutching the teenager to his chest and wetting his shoulders with tears. "I can't believe you escaped your kidnappers. And that Sasuke was shot! That could've been you! My God… if it had been, I-I don't know what I would've done. Oh, Naruto… _my_ _dear nephew_…"

Finally, Naruto let himself cry. Seeing Kyuubi bawl the way he was made it hard not to do the same. But he didn't want to be a snotty, hiccupping mess. So he cried steadily and didn't make much noise. "It's okay, Dad, everything's going to be okay… the guy who took me is dead and other guy who was going to use Gaara as ransom is probably dead, too. We fought 'em, and we won. So, y'know, stop crying…"

Kyuubi looks over Naruto's face. He laughs through his tears. "Only if you stop, too." He leans in and kisses his nephew's forehead.

Naruto rubs the kiss off. "Deal."

Dabbing at his eyes and blowing his nose, Kyuubi straightened himself. "Damn, I feel like Shu at the funeral," he jokes. Then sighs. "Well, we better get to the hospital. Sasuke needs our support."

The blonde nods in full agreement. "I hope he'll be alright…"

"He will be," the orange-haired man assures. "He's Sasuke." As if that explains everything. In a way, it does.

o0o0o0o0o

"What's his status, Doc?" Kyuubi asks at they reach Sasuke's ward. Snow begins falling once more, reminded everyone that it's midnight and the dawn of Christmas Eve. Naruto had been pronounced missing for ten and a quarter hours, but now the call is off and he's been pronounced safe and sound. Sasuke, on the other hand…

"He's in a minor state of comatose from surgery, but should wake within twelve hours. Just in time for Christmas Eve brunch." The doctor says happily. "We can keep him here over Christmas or until he's able to go home. He'll be in a wheelchair until after New Year's, possibly longer… So we'll need someone to watch over him while he's out of the hospital and in such a state," he adds in a wistful tone.

"Naruto and I will gladly do that," Kyuubi says, not skipping a beat.

"Fantastic! Be sure to bring him here early February so we can see if he'll be able to take crutches or if he'll remain in a wheelchair. For you see, the bullet in his foot shattered a few bones that we had to replace with plastic and metal braces. His femur was luckily missed by the second bullet, but his tissues need tending to. And as for the third bullet… well, the poor boy won't be able to have children." The doctor explains gravely.

Naruto's face goes red. "So that's why there was white stuff on the floor by him mixed in all the blood…" He shudders. "That must've _really_ hurt."

Kyuubi grimaces. "Ouch."

The doctor nods. "He's just lucky the shaft of his penis wasn't disfigured, or else he'd have bathroom problems."

"I didn't need to hear that!" Naruto says too loudly, his hands clamping over his ears.

Kyuubi chuckles in a high pitch tone to show his discomfort of the topic. "Poor kid."

"I'll say," comes Shukaku's voice.

Kyuubi and Naruto turn around to find Shukaku, Temari, and Kankurou. "What are you three doing here?" Kyuubi poses with a grin in his high school buddy's direction.

"Gaara's in one of these rooms somewhere," Kankurou informs. "And we're looking for answers. What the hell happened?!"

Temari has a disrupted expression on her face, the look in her dark teal eyes oozing with fretfulness. Her fingers are all tied up in her hair, which is currently out of it's usual quad-ponytail 'do so she can play with it to tame her nerves. "Yes… what _did _happen?"

"I'd like to know as well," the doctor agrees. "I need to know how you three boys got those injuries _exactly_."

So, leaving out the mushy gay-love-based details, Naruto explained everything. He told them about all the events he could remember, from his abduction to his meeting with the police at the station. By the time he finished, Gaara walks into the room.

"What are they doing here?" the poet wants to know, referring to his family when he said 'they'.

"Gaara!" the entire Sabaku family says in unison. He go to him and hug him as tight as they can in a group.

The redhead looks both embarrassed and agitated. "Get off me! I'm fine!" He pushes them away. Staring at the ground with hardly any emotion on his face, he whispers: "And why aren't you afraid of me? Don't you hate me? This time I actually killed someone…"

They fall silent. They know he wasn't responsible for Yashamaru's and his mother's death, but he is for Kisame's, and he can't deny that.

"You did it to protect yourself," Shukaku mutters in his nephew's defense.

"And we could never hate you," Temari says, her voice breaking as tears pooled in her eyes. "We care about you."

Gaara faces the door. Naruto's eyes pan between each member of the strange family from Sunagakure. Kankurou clears his throat. "Yeah. And we don't like seeing you hurt. So get back here and hug us, little brother."

Feeing awkward, the doctor takes his leave, as does the one nurse that was at Sasuke's bedside.

Kyuubi nudges Naruto. "We should go, too. Let's let them have their family moment."

"Of 'course."

So the two exit the ward and Naruto takes one last look at Gaara, who is giving up and allowing himself to be hugged. He doesn't look to happy about it, but everyone in his family does. Naruto smiles. It seems he's had an affect on Gaara… and a positive one at that. Professing your love seems to work that way… particularly if who you're profess to is someone like Resshin.

o0o0o0o0o

Hour: 2:17 a.m., which is extremely early on Christmas Eve morning. It's a sleeping hour for most people, but not for some people at the hospital.

"Just look at your palms," Temari sighs, holding the bandaged mitts in her own. "Naruto said you used a piece of **glass**!"

"It was the only thing I could reach at the time," Gaara argues. "And that bastard deserved it, so the wound was worth the deed."

Temari looks sideways at her brother. "Something's different about you," she says. "I'm not sure if I like it or not."

"He's more passionate and talkative about things; you should be happy, Temari," Kankurou says as he takes a sip of water. They were out in the lobby, talking things over with their brother and Naruto while Shukaku and Kyuubi conversed with the doctors. Also, Naruto and Kyuubi were waiting for news on Sasuke.

"I like that he's talking more, because I wanted him to, but he's passionate about all the wrong things," she says with a frown. "Like anger."

"Not entirely," Kankurou grins. He looks Gaara in the eye over his shoulder from where he sat. "You might want to tell her now, man."

The poet shakes his head. 'Not yet,' he mouths.

"Tell me what?" Temari demands.

"You can thank his new boyfriend for his openness," Kankurou chuckles.

"_Boy_friend…?!" Temari's eyes dart back and forth between her brothers. "You don't mean…" She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "Shit, I sure missed a lot when I went back to college after the funeral."

Gaara lays a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes pop open and she stares down at him. "It's alright, Temari; it's nothing you can't handle."

She gives a crooked smile. "I suppose not. I'm happy for you, honest. Just a little… confused." She shakes her head once more. "So, um… who is it?"

The redhead crosses his arms over his chest in preparation for Temari's reaction. "Naruto."

Temari looks in said boy's direction, then back at her brother. "Him?!"

"What's wrong with him?" Gaara asks frostily, arms still crossed.

"Er, nothing… he's just… uh, very different from you. I wouldn't think he'd be your type."

"They say you're attracted to what you know; and Mom and you both are blondes. So how can he not be my type?"

His sister has trouble making a comeback to that. "…That's not what I meant." She sighs long and winded. Temari rubs her temples and asks tiredly, "Does Uncle know?"

"Nope," Kankurou sounds from behind them. He sips more of his water bottle. "And he probably shouldn't know quite yet. We'll wait until after the holidays are gone. Maybe around Gaara's birthday."

"Speaking of which," Naruto says suddenly, plopping into the seat next to Kankurou. He lowers his voice. "When is his birthday? When Gaara turns eighteen, I want to do something special for him with your guys' help. Especially after all this trauma. I was going to take him out on the 27th, but…"

Kankurou grins. Lowering his own voice, he responds with a wink and some information. "Good idea. His birthday is January 19th. And you could probably still take him on a date that soon. It won't hurt either of you none. Just… don't go out to dinner with your hands like that."

"Er, right… better not do dinner…" Naruto smiles weakly and scratches the back of his head with his left, non-cast arm. He coughs once. "So. The 19th. Got it."

Luckily for them, Gaara hadn't heard a single word of their plans.

Out of nowhere, a nurse comes bursting into the room. "Doctor, we have an issue with Sasuke Uchiha in ward number seven. His pulse sped up within the last minute from comatose rate to the equivalency of a rodent's pulse!"

The doctor talking to Kyuubi and Shukaku spun around and ran with her to the room where Sasuke dwelled. Naruto and Kyuubi soon followed.

"Cut the medication and flush his system! He must have an allergy to one of them we didn't know about. Quickly, now!"

While the two worked, Naruto felt his hands come up to his open mouth. One was encased in a cast, the other burned by the rope and bandaged at the wrist. "Sasuke…"

"The poor kid will be knocking at heaven's door with a heart rate like that," Kyuubi muttered sadly. "He could flat-line if he keeps it up."

Sasuke looked paler than usual and his body was beginning to glisten with sweat everywhere, on his arms, face, neck, and whatever else was visible around his hospital gown and the thin sheets of the cot. There were small tremors running down Sasuke's arms and twitching in his unharmed leg. His head jerked once or twice to the side.

"Doctor, I don't think it's the pain medication and anti-inflammatory," the nurse says delicately. "I think… I think he's have a seizure." She shakes her head. "Is he prone to epilepsy?"

"No, it's not on file; besides, seizures are different," the doctor explains. He lays his hands on Sasuke's limbs to steady them. "It's more likely a panic attack due to post-traumatic stress. His body is going into shock hours after the actual shooting and surgery, it appears."

Something in the way Sasuke's body was reacting made Naruto's skin crawl. He gulped audibly and stared like a fish caught on a boat: full of fear and confusion. "S-sas…uke…"

Naruto feels a warm tendril wrap around his shoulders and pull him to a warmer flat surface. He looks up to find his adoptive father's arm and chest. "He'll be fine," he reassures in a sleek, calm voice. "Forget what I said about heaven's door; Sasuke will live. This is all very normal. Technically, you also should've had a panic attack."

The blonde can only nod. Suddenly, he didn't want to be here, in Kyuubi's arms, on looking Sasuke's trembling, sleeping form. He wanted Gaara. But he couldn't tell the man holding him that. "I have to go to the bathroom," Naruto lies childishly.

Kyuubi looks down quizzically but releases him. "Alright."

Naruto finds his redhead in the lobby. He's lying, wide awake, on a cushioned bench. His eyeliner is smudged and faded around his eyes, and some of the insomnia bruises peek through. Without hesitation, Naruto comes over to him. Gaara's about to sit up and scoot over, but Naruto waves it aside and lifts his boyfriend's legs and places them on his lap.

"Naruto?" Gaara questions. He's somehow able to fit all he wants to know in one name. How he can do that, Naruto has yet to figure out.

"Hey. Sasuke's body is having a spasm. I couldn't stand to watch and do nothing. I feel horrible, like it's my fault there were gunshots. He's going to be in a wheelchair, Gaara. And all because he was trying to protect me! _Me_, the bait the Akatsuki set for him in the first place!" Naruto rakes his hand through his messy, unwashed hair. "I felt so helpless, seeing you and Sasuke fight like that. And get injured. It hurt me more than my fractured rib and broken wrist and bruised shin. I…" He exhales. Looking to Gaara, he smiles weakly. "I wanted to throw up, I got so tangled up inside." Naruto watches a nurse walk by with a clipboard in her shriveled hands. "This whole ordeal came on ridiculously fast; that, or we were oblivious the entire time." When he's done with his mini freak out, he looks into Gaara's eyes. They show understanding.

"It's not your fault, it's the Akatsuki's; they plan and keep it to themselves so they can gain the element of surprise," Gaara reminds him. "And you had no choice. They bound you." He sits up and removes his legs from Naruto's lap. Though, admittedly, the blonde wouldn't mind it if Gaara scooted up to sit entirely in his lap.

He shakes those lap-sitting thoughts and grows serious. "I know… but I still feel bad. He, uh, won't be able to have kids, either."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

There's a long silence as the two look one another over; every wound, every expression, every unspoken word. Mixed emotions crowd their sleepy minds: condolence, regret, leftover fear and anger, sorrow, patience, restlessness, desire for comfort, relief, and a feeling that all of this is one giant detrimental benefit. Or, rather, one giant beneficial detriment; this chaos has brought them even closer together. Bonded by blood now, literally. Blood and pain were shed on both ends. That connects you to someone more than ever.

The silence fades as Gaara shrugs. "It can't be helped."

"I know."

Naruto opens his arms, waiting for Gaara to come into them. He wants to hold somebody, and hold them like a security blanket, never letting go. He wants the contact so badly, to simply _embrace_. It'll help Naruto keep himself together. His heart and his brain in particular. Both were ready to go kaput and fall to pieces.

Gaara moves at a snail's pace but makes it to Naruto's arms eventually. With a pleased sigh Naruto brings Gaara to him, _into_ him, trying to merge them together. He tucks Gaara's mop of red hair under his tan chin and breathes in his boyfriend's scent. It held lingering traces of winter air and hospital chemicals, combined with Gaara's usual scent of cinnamon and an unnamable body wash that was subtle but delectable. But Naruto doesn't care about the wintry and hospital traces; Gaara smells marvelous to him no matter what.

The blonde's scent-induced trance is broken when Gaara speaks. "Naruto, move your right arm. The cast for your wrist is digging into my spine."

"Oops, sorry." Naruto apologizes. He slides his arm lower to the small of Gaara's back. "Better?" he beams.

"Y-yes." He sensed a blush in Gaara's tone. The stutter is a dead giveaway. It was soft and barely noticeable, but Naruto hears it nonetheless and gives the poet a squeeze. Gaara glances up through his eye lashes. "Why was there a Swiss army knife in your pajama pants earlier?"

Naruto chuckles softly. He licks his thumb and wipes at Gaara's face where some of his eyeliner smudged too far and made green-purple streaks. It rubs away quickly, and Gaara frowns slightly at the gesture. "When I heard someone pounding on the side of my house, getting closer to my bedroom, I freaked and reached for it. It had been laying on my dresser since I was cleaning things around my room before I was kidnapped. I figured, if worse came to worse, I could be like my dad and whip out the switchblade part of it and defend myself. Because that's where I got it; my birth dad. He used to be a soldier."

The redhead nods like it all makes perfect sense to him.

"We're not canceling our plans for the 27th, I hope you know." He informs with a smile.

"No, I realized that. If anything, I thought you'd have reason to uphold them more." Gaara replies. He pauses to lay his cheek on the warmth of Naruto's chest. He shivers involuntarily, goose bumps rising on his flesh from the temperature difference.

Naruto opens his eyes and tilts his head. "Cold?" A shake of the head is the only response he gets. Naruto leans back and closes his eyes once more. "It'll all be over soon. Then we can rest easy at home. Christmas is tomorrow."

"The night of miracles," Gaara mumbles, his breath hot on the fabric of Naruto's shirt.

"Yes, and hopefully more than one."

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke dreamt of smirking faces. And snow falling as crimson as the blood that flowed through his veins. The smirking faces belonged to Deidara and Kisame, although their forms were contorted. The bloody snow was everywhere, covering the floor, sticking to the walls, and covering Naruto from head to toe. Sasuke was stuck in a nightmarish slow motion where he could run ad run and run all he likes but barely move an inch. Deidara stumbled, still smirking evilly, and the gun he held went off. But suddenly Deidara turned into his old headmaster, Orochimaru, and snakes flew from the gun's nose towards Naruto._ 'Please, let the snakes hit Gaara instead,'_ he thought in his dream. _'Please, don't let the snakes hurt Naruto. Anyone but Naruto.'_ But since he thought "anyone", the snakes changed the course like a boomerang and attacked Sasuke. He yelled, 'Arhg!' and fell to the ground. The snakes spit web from their mouths like spiders and encased the lower half of his body in a cocoon and –

That's when Sasuke woke up. At first, he was so disoriented that he though the snake-web was present around his body. It took him a while to realize that it was merely bandages, a cast, and blankets he kicked around a bit with his uninjured leg in his sleep.

As the Uchiha fully awoke, he sits himself up on the hospital cot and sucks in a sharp breath at the jolt of pain from his crotch to his right toes which followed the movement. He groans and slumps back into the sheets. A nurse attending a different patient (an old man, Sasuke observes) across the room hears him and scurries over to his side.

"Well, good morning. How are you feeling? You gave us quite a scare last night when you went into a panic attack," she says gently as she adjusts his casts and rewraps his bandages. She plucks a needle from his arm and pulls a bag of liquid away from his bedside. Then she hands him a Styrofoam cup with water and asks if he wants some pain killer tablets.

"No, I don't need them," Sasuke says. His voice is hoarse from not being used. He takes the cup and gulps the water in one swig.

"My, you were thirsty," the nurse giggles. "But that's expected. Here, I'll go get the doctor to take a look at you, and if you're ready, we'll let your visitors in."

"Visitors?" Sasuke questions.

The nurse nods. She was a pretty, young little thing with small breasts and curvy hips and short, slim legs. Her purple-streaked blonde hair was up loosely in a bun and she wore no makeup, but she clearly was pretty enough not to need it. "They've been here all night. Right now they're probably out in the lobby, sleeping. A few of them went home at about 7:00 this morning; everyone in the Sabaku family. But Naruto Uzumaki and his uncle stayed, and two girls came at about 9:45."

Sasuke peeks over at the clock on the wall, realizing it wasn't morning much any more. It's nearly noon. "Yeah, send them in after the doctor," Sasuke grunts. "I don't care."

"Okay," the nurse smiles minutely. She exits the ward and returns minutes later with a doctor who was at least six feet in height. He had short brown hair buzz-cut on the sides and in back and hardly an inch long on top.

"Hello, Sasuke," the doctor says in a professional tone. "Glad to see you awake. Would you like to know the damage?"

Sasuke raises a hand to his head and leans over slowly. His pointer finger, middle finger, and thumb rubbed at his forehead to make his nightmare subside from his memory. "Uhg, I can already feel it, actually."

"Want some medication?"

"No, Sir," Sasuke grumbles. "Just tell me what's messed up in my body."

The doctor clears his throat. "For starters, you're lucky the bullets hit where they did and that Gaara was able to make it here so quickly. Too late or hit in the wrong place, and you would've been a goner."

"Hn," he nods, wanting the doctor to continue.

"Right. Well, a couple bones in your left foot were shattered, so we replaced them when we took out the bullet. The other bullet in your left missed your femur, thankfully. But it tore at your muscle tissue. Not too greatly, but it'll take time until you can walk at all on that right leg of yours."

"What else? What about the third bullet?" Sasuke demands. He knows it hit his groin somewhere. But when he was shot he couldn't look to see where.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke Uchiha… I'm sorry because: unless any of your relatives lived, your name is going to die with you."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean, Doctor?" Sasuke says in a tone that could easily be mistaken for a growl.

The middle-aged man winces. "I'm sorry, but… you won't be able to have children. So no one will carry on the legacy of your last name."

Sasuke snorts. "That's fine, I wasn't planning on having kids, anyway. I'm homosexual. One of those two girls who want to see me is my girlfriend, but she's an excuse. I was going to break up with her soon."

The doctor blinks and his cheeks flush a slight magenta. "Oh. Huh… I see." He glances away and coughs into his hand. "Um, perhaps I shouldn't send them in, then…"

"No, send them in. All of them." Sasuke says firmly. So the nurse signals for everyone to enter.

Blackish irises lock with cerulean blue as Naruto and everyone else file into the room to check up on their sacrificial friend. Ino and Sakura are among them, just as Sasuke had guessed. He also guessed the flowers near his bedside were from the two girls, all the roses from Ino especially.

"Hey teme. How ya feeling?" wonders Naruto. He's the person closest to Sasuke and feels obliged to ask the standard question.

Sasuke, on the other hand, feels like he's heard that question one too many times. "I've suffered worse, dobe. This is nothing," he fibs and adjusts himself on the bed.

"But… your, uh… you can't have kids with it like that." Naruto stutters, and Kyuubi nods.

"Yeah. You're quite the solider, Sasuke. Diving in the path of three simultaneous shots and living? Toughing it out like it doesn't hurt? That takes guts."

"Thanks for the sentiment, Kyuubi, but I don't feel so noble." _I still wish misfortune on Gaara for taking Naruto away from me, and I got the only guy who would've saved me from the Akatsuki in jail. None of this would've happened, actually, if I hadn't freaked when Itachi confessed. But I was entitled to!_ Sasuke thought to himself as he reached for the fresh glass of water on the end table. As he chugged, Sakura and Ino stepped in for their two cents.

"I think you were very brave, babe," Ino gushes. "I don't think I could ever have the strength and courage to do what you did. Even if I used to love that person! – Not that I wouldn't dive in front of a bullet for you! I mean, I would for _you_, but anyone else? I'm not so sure…" Ino pauses to giggle. "Sakura? Hmm, maybe I'd save her. If she's been a good girl…" she winks to her pink-haired friend.

Sasuke rolls his eyes. "And Ino, it's that kind of fangirlism that ticks me off. Why can't you shut up about me for ten seconds and face the facts, huh? I did it by some inner will that wasn't mine. If it had been **my** will, I would've forced the shots to hit Gaara."

Anger flashes in Naruto's eyes, making his ocean blues appear to streak with red for half a millisecond. "WHAT?! If those bullets flew in the same place, they would've hit his head, heart, and stomach! He would've died! And you wouldn't care?! Fuck you, Sasuke!" And he crosses his arms and turns about face.

"Fuck me? Thanks for the offer. Because if Gaara would've died instead, you'd be free for the taking," Sasuke utters in a tone just as cross as Naruto's.

Ino and Sakura's faces fell, Ino's especially. Sakura's thoughts consisted of three main topics: _I'm so glad Gaara's not here to witness this; he'd kick Sasuke's ass and send him back into a coma,_ and: _Sasuke's being a real jerk,_ but mostly: _I knew their relationship didn't smell right; Sasuke wasn't dating Ino because he likes her or is falling for her, it's because of Naruto! Tch, that makes me so pissed. He was using my best girl friend… oh, it's on now._ Ino, on the other hand, was trying to piece things together.

Kyuubi's face looked contorted and torn between doing two things. One of which is what Sasuke meant about Gaara and Naruto. They're just friends, aren't they? Kyuubi can't be too sure. His lips twitch into a gauche smile. "Now, boys… let's not go there, 'kay? We're in a hospital, and a lot has happened recently, so…"

"No." Naruto hisses. He whirls back around. "Let him speak. It seems there's a lot he had to say. C'mon, Sasuke, let's get this over with, eh? Because I feel like I don't know you anymore. Hell, I feel like I never _have _known you. Who are you? And just what do you want? Because apparently I'm ignorant about a lot of the things going on around here."

Sasuke sits up fully in his cot and swings his legs – cast and all – over the side of the bed where the safety rail had been lowered. "Yes, let's. Ino, Sakura, Kyuubi… you three better leave. There's a lot the dobe and I need to discuss."

Kyuubi and Sakura file out. Sakura tries to keep a nonchalant expression on her face, but it's growing difficult as the urge to rip Sasuke to shreds with her bare hands takes root. Ino, however, is standing her ground. Tears are forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Ino, leave," Sasuke commands.

She shakes her head briskly. "No. There's something you're not telling me. And if we're dating, then I want to know. I want to know what's wrong and what the major issue is here."

The Uchiha slowly rotates his head to glare in her direction. "That's the exact problem, Ino: we're_ not_ dating. You _aren't_ my girlfriend. I only took you out to try and get Naruto jealous. Obviously, the plan failed. And look where we are!" He barked the final statement, his arms rising and clapping against the mattress with the last word.

Ino's chin quivers and her brows come together. She stands. "Fine. If that's how you want it to be. I wasn't in love with you. So it doesn't matter."

You could tell by the way she fled the room that those last two sentences were lies.

After watching her exit the ward, Naruto exhales through his teeth and looks Sasuke in the eye. "I'm not even kidding when I call you a 'teme'. You seriously are one giant bastard, Sasuke. Among other things I'm too polite to name that someone like Kiba wouldn't mind verbalizing."

He acts like he doesn't care about the insults.

Naruto suddenly finds his shoes the most interesting thing in the world. "So you never dropped your feelings for me, huh? And you went to crazy heights to try and get me to return them." He gradually shakes his head. His fists clench. "You're a piece of work. I don't have it in me to hate you, but frankly, I'm debating whether or not to punch you in the face and ditch you as a friend or walk away with my dignity."

Sasuke holds his arms palm-up on either side of his body as a gesture that reads, 'do your worst' or 'bring it on', but in this case it meant 'so what?'. Inwardly, Sasuke cared what Naruto did and knew it was wrong to challenge him. And what stung the most, more than his wounds, more than Naruto being with Gaara, and even more than his own selfish pride, was the way the blonde was speaking to him and what expression he held on his whisker-looking scarred face.

Apparently, there was nothing more to be said. And, keeping his dignity, Naruto doesn't mention an end in friendship, nor does he strike Sasuke in the face. Because no matter how you flipped the picture around, it still looked the same: Sasuke had saved Naruto's and Gaara's lives by getting in the way of Kisame's bullets and Deidara's shaky aim.

* * *

**A/N: okay, should i end this with SasuIno or SasuSaku? him to come back to Ino (since she does love him, despite what just happened) so she can keep him somewhat happy and make him interact with others; or i could have Sakura to keep him somewhat happy and in check (meaning less of a jerk)? and then if SasuIno, should i make this end with some LeeSaku? OR SHOULD I JUST LEAVE SASUKE ALL BY HIS LONESOME (LeeSaku is still possible with this choice)?! i need to know these things, people, because i honestly can't choose by myself. at this point, i could choose either one and make it work; it's free game for those pairings. and who knows, maybe i'll mention a ShikaTem wedding in the epilogue or a NejiTen breakup, depending. **

**which reminds me… if you guys wouldn't mind, i'd like to do a lemon threeshot sequel for this fic. what do you think? should i? and will you even read it such a thing? XD i promise to do at least one scene with each boy topping, since i think they'd take turns anyway. it's an equal relationship, NaruGaa/GaaNaru is. :3**


	34. Chapter 33: 'Tis The Season For Reason

**A/N: sorry to keep you waiting over a week. did you miss me? i missed all of you! and i really appriciate the opinions on pairings for the (sometime, though not specified) ending of DB. although... -snorts- i thought of another one for Sasuke (and later someone mentioned it again in a review): SAI. yeah. weird, huh? and laughable? i think so. but it won't end that way (unless i get a sudden rush of protests). Sasuke will be alone romantically, yet not completely unhappy. you'll see. and i have a few more twists up my sleeve... on in particular will make the story longer, but could drag on the story. and i don't ike dragging; i don't want everyone to be like: 'uhg, please end it already! this is getting tiresome!' ...so, yeah. tell me, should i make this longer by adding a tiny thing to the plot, or no? and as for the threeshot sequel with smut and such: CAN DO! thanks for your support on that!**

**

* * *

**Chapter 33: 'Tis The Season For Reason

"I don't know what to do, Gaara. I was pretty hard on him, but I told you what happened! He was being such a…" He makes a grunting noise. "I mean, he at least told the truth, but it's a rotten truth if you ask me," Naruto groans tiredly into the phone on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. "I know I shouldn't bug you about this when today's a holiday, but…"

On the other end of the line, Gaara shakes his head. "No, it's fine that you told me." He pauses. "You were fair in how you reacted. He wasn't acting much like a gentleman himself. And you didn't punch him."

"I was_ this_ close –" (Naruto pinches his thumb and forefinger about a three quarters of an inch apart, even though Gaara can't see it over the phone) "– to punching him, though! …But you're right, I didn't hit him. Still, I was _so_ angry!" He sighs. "Now I feel numb. I mean, it's Christmas for goodness sake! Because of our history, I don't want to abandon Sasuke; I'm not the kind of guy who does something like that. But the things he said and did…" Naruto twirls the bright orange cord of his bedroom phone around his finger. It's an old clear plastic one from the 90's; you know the kind, where you can see all the colorful wires and the green microchip inside of it. Naruto had found it in their attic one day while he went searching for Kyuubi's high school yearbook to see pictures of his mother as a teen.

"It's understandable; you two may never again be as close of friends. But I think you should fix things so you at least don't hate one another."

"That's a nice thing for you to say, Gaara; are you pulling a Resshin on me?" the blonde beams. "And I thought you didn't like Sasuke."

"I don't," Gaara replies bluntly. "But after personally carrying him to my car and into the hospital, it's difficult not to feel a tad compassionate."

"Yeah, I guess so." Naruto glances around his room, inspecting some of the details. Was the paint chipping in that corner? He'd have to fix that. Or have Gaara paint a mural on it. That thought makes him crack another smile. Clearing his throat, the blonde sets a new train of thought into motion. "He's all alone, now… like how we used to be. His brother and family are gone, and he has hardly any friends besides me. He's probably so obsessive and stubborn because he's craving attention. Subconsciously, he probably doesn't even care if it's negative attention." It's like Naruto's had an epiphany. He smiles, proud of his logic. "Yeah, it must be for that reason!" Steadily his smile evolves into a frown. "But Sasuke was taking it all wrong. I'm not some object he can pick and choose when to play with."

"He did make it seem that way," Gaara agrees. "And he made me look like some bully trying to take his toy from him."

Naruto chuckles a bit. "Yeah, kind of." He exhales agitatedly, his eyes growing heavy from lack of sleep. "Look, Gaara, I'm going to go. I have to see what's up with Christmas Eve dinner and maybe go to bed when it's finished. I'll see you on the 27th."

"For our dinner, Temari decided not to cancel her plans in inviting her boyfriend, that Nara character, to eat with us." Gaara shakes his head. "Yes, the 27th. I'm looking forward to it." He smiles faintly. "Goodbye, Shippuuden."

The blonde grins at the use of the nickname. "Goodbye, Resshin. I… I love you."

The other end of the line is silent. A whisper is heard, subtle and low, before the phone clicks off. The whisper had sounded similar to 'I love you, too,' but Naruto couldn't be sure. It could've been 'How do you know for sure?' or 'I know you do'. Gaara could have said anything.

No matter what, Naruto felt pretty good about himself. He hung up as well and set his phone on the hook. He stood and stretched, a yawn erupting from his lungs. A crack sounded in his neck, but it felt nice. Now to go see about that dinner…

"Naru-to!" Kyuubi calls fondly from below. Right on cue.

"Coming!" Naruto replies. He stomps cheerfully down the stairs to find a frozen pizza in Kyuubi's hands. He begins to laugh. "So I'm guessing our usual Christmas cook-a-thon has been canceled."

"I'm not up for cooking a big meal, and I thought, with your wrist and all the stuff that's been happening, you might not be up for it, either. So I dug a pizza out of the freezer and just finished pre-heating the stove." The businessman winks. "I have a surprise: I did make the dough from your mom's ginger snap recipe. So when the pizza's done cooking, we can pop a few dough balls on a cookie sheet and have them ready for later tonight. I rented a movie…" Kyuubi rambles as he slides the pizza into the burning oven. He slams the door shut and claps his hands together as if dusting flour from them when there is none. "Well, what d'ya think? Is this an appropriate manner of celebrating Christmas Eve?"

Naruto chuckles heartily and smacks his adoptive father on his shoulder blade. "Yup, I'd say it's perfectly appropriate. Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime, kit!" the businessman chuckles. He moves to the living room and turns on some music, though what kind Naruto doesn't bother to pay attention to. Moat likely Christmas music.

As Naruto plops down on the couch to wait for the pizza, Kyuubi drops something into the teenager's lap. He glances down at it. It's a package wrapped in newspaper comic styled paper, a matching red bow stuck on top. "What's this for? It's not Christmas yet." Naruto asks with an arching golden brow.

Kyuubi takes a seat on the edge of the couch. "No reason. Just thought you deserved an early present. Remember we used to let you open one early every year? Back when you were a teeny tot and Kushina was alive." He lets out a mournful sigh. "Man, do I miss Christmases with her."

"Me, too," Naruto sniffs. No tears existed on his face currently, but it seemed his nose thought they did. He wipes at his nose once before gently rotating the box in his hands. "What is it?" he says, using a standard question. He shakes it once. "It better not be a puppy, or else I could've made it throw up just now."

The red-orange haired man chuckles. "Then I'm glad I didn't get you a puppy."

"Then is it a pony like I've always wanted?" Naruto jokes in return. "Oh! Maybe it's that Barbie Dream House I've been dying to have!"

Kyuubi is sent into a even heartier bout of laughter. Naruto hated Barbies and dolls of any kind with a passion. "No, it's actually that Hot Wheels set you've been eyeing."

"Is that so?" Naruto grins, tearing off the paper, bow and all. A ripping sound streaks across the room. The shreds of paper flutter to the floor and lay like feathers in a curled, gentle position. "NO WAY!" he bellows at the top of his lungs. "Th-th-this must be a trick! I-I-I mean, this box can't really have a freaking iPod Touch in it!!"

"Why don't you open the box and find out?" the fox-like man grins, a special glint in his eyes. He loved seeing Naruto excited like this; it brought back pleasant memories.

The cardboard was torn open and plastic was popped open after too-long canine teeth gnawed the tape that held it shut. And soon the new _orange_-covered iPod was in Naruto's hands, shining in the light like a beacon from heaven. "Uwahh, it's so… so…"

"Turn it on. I already uploaded all your music from your iTunes and some music videos of your top played songs (since I couldn't tell which were your favorites otherwise, haha.). Oh, and that has internet, by-the-way. Youtube especially. You can watch any video you like on there. And I think it has e-mail, too.. I don't know. I wasn't paying attention to what the saleswoman was saying. I just bought the thing and got a orange case to match. If you turn it over, the case has a little hurricane above shot pattern in the bottom corner," his adoptive father informs. "Oh, and there's something else I stuffed into the box. Take a look."

Naruto pulls himself out of his stupor to peak inside the box. There were black and gold Skull Candy ™ headphones, the medium sized kind what resembled the giant 70's radiophones. "…Wow."

"Is that al you have to say, kit? 'Wow'?" Kyuubi grins. He nudges the boy's arm. "What, did you fall into a stunned silence?"

The blonde nods with his jaw dangling from his head. He gulps once to speak, the jaw soon resuming it's place on the floor. "Uh-huh…"

Kyuubi laughs. "I knew you've love it. To tell you the truth, you don't have much else besides your stocking. That's your gift: a pair of expensive headphones and a new iPod that does everything you want a computer to do (pretty much). So don't expect much tomorrow, all right?"

Naruto shakes his head to snap himself fully out of his heart-stopping surprise. He sets the device on the coffee table along with the Skull Candy ™ earphones. Then, feel elated and grateful, he practically leaps into his adoptive father's arms. "Thank you so soso_so_ soOoOoOo much!!" he squeals in delight.

Kyuubi struggles to balance himself as he returns the hug. "You're very welcome, Naruto."

Suddenly, the timer beeps on the stove, startling the two and forcing them to look in the direction of the kitchen.

Naruto and Kyuubi gin, both thinking the same thing. "Dinner is served," they chuckle in unison. And off they went to eat pizza, bake ginger snaps, and be merry.

o0o0o0o0o

Speaking of dinner, Gaara was trying to hard to keep down his. The way Temari acted around Shikamaru… it was sickening. She wasn't overly mushy; oh, no. That might've been better, come to think of it. No, she wasn't being romantic or mushy… but instead, Temari was acting as though she were annoyed with her boyfriend, yet at the same time was attempting to please him with hers and Shukaku's joined effort of Christmas Eve supper and dessert.

Not to mention all her smiling and giggling and smacking were also wearing Gaara's patience thin. The last straw was seconds before dessert when Temari smacked Gaara lightly with a cloth napkin, playfully telling him to 'lighten up' and 'forget about yesterday' and to 'gorge' himself with the rest of them on the bunt cake she made.

Slowly, the redhead scooted his chair back and stood. "I'm excusing myself. I don't want dessert."

Temari frowned. She raises a finger and opens her mouth to protest, but the strange, cold look Gaara sent her made her clamp her mouth shut. "Fine. I'll save you a slice to try tomorrow, then. Good night, Gaara."

"Humph," he grunts. It was awkward enough with his schoolmate here; he didn't need to be around while his sister acted like a complete lovesick dolt.

"Merry Christmas," Shikamaru calls to him as he trudges up the stairs.

"Leaving so soon?" Kankurou asks as he passes Gaara, the cake on a holly berry platter in his hands. It did look terribly delicious… it was peppermint chocolate, otherwise known as the Holiday Mocha Candy Cane Cake. Temari had yanked the recipe from a cooking magazine she picked up at the grocery store checkout line.

Licking his dry lips, Gaara nodded. "Yes. I'm tried, so I'm going to bed."

"Well, alright. Things have been hectic for you lately, so I understand. Go get your beauty sleep while the rest of us chow this cake." The brunette replies.

Gaara shrugs and retreats to his bedroom. It's softly lit by the lone lap in the corner, and it smells crisp, thanks to the cracked window. He steps over to it and locks it up to prevent catching a cold in the middle of the night. Easing onto his bed, Gaara feels the chill of the winter-touched sheets. The smell of Downy fabric softener reaches his nostrils. He rolls onto his side and huffs, a motion showing debate between: 'should I get up and change into my nightclothes and sleep?' or 'should I read for a while first?'

In the end, he chose sleep. He hasn't slept in what feels like ages, and he was due. As open as he was when he spoke to Naruto, he's been short and grumpy with his siblings these last few hours.

Returning to his bed with a thin, white cotton tee and pair of red shorts donning his slim frame, Gaara reflected time with an ironic smile in his eyes while he stared up at the pitch black ceiling.

_Funny how, under an hour ago, I had been chatting to someone I can label as my "boyfriend". Funny how, under twelve hours ago, I had been in the hospital. Funny how, under a day ago, I had fought to protect said "boyfriend" and nearly got myself killed._ _Funny how every event plays into existence, then fades into the past._

Tucking his hands beneath his pillow, Gaara closed his eyes. He exhaled through his nose slowly, savoring the breath as he prepared himself to drift into slumber.

_Funny how, after all that's happened, I can feel relaxed. Almost as if… somehow… I'm being lulled to sleep. Perhaps my body is forcing me to rest and heal. Perhaps… it's trying to tell me to not be so paranoid and to let my guard down for a moment. And perhaps… it's correct._

That was the last thought he considered. For within minutes, after what feels like ages, Gaara slipped into sleep.

o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke woke to the sound of puking. _Someone must've eaten a bad Christmas cookie,_ he groaned mentally as he rolled over on his hospital cot. He'd much rather be home right now. Or at Naruto's house. Man, did he blow that one; even if he were allowed out of the hospital, he doubts Naruto would welcome him into his home with open arms. "I am such a dumbass," Sasuke mutters coldly.

"Yeah, you are." replies a voice.

Sasuke's eyes fly open and he bolts upwards. He winces at the dull pain shooting through his leg and crotch at the movement. He casts his gaze to find a closed-lip smile on a sheet white face. "Sai…? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to see what kind of mess you got yourself into." Sai gives him a once-over with his grey eyes. "By the look of things, you messed yourself up pretty bad." He laughs once. "And now you have no balls! Not that you didn't have much to begin with, seeing as how you chickened out on your boarding school and later your mission."

The Uchiha scowls. "I don't need you harassing me, Sai. Tell me the actual reasons for you being here."

Sai's face falls into a serious expression. "I came because if you had survived – which you did – the ANBU was going to give you another chance once you healed. After all, you defeated an Akatsuki member all by yourself. That's extraordinary."

"Not really," Sasuke grumbles. He adjusts his seating by moving his cast leg with his hands and rotating his hips. He leans back, allowing the bed to hold all his weight. "You might as well ask Gaara to join the ANBU; he killed Kisame all by himself."

Sai shrugs. "True, but he won't be interested, and we know it. But you… you'd still want to join, wouldn't you?"

Sasuke mulls that over for a minute. "Hn. Thanks but no thanks, Sai. I'll stick to dying alone in my old age and not in some gang bang shooting. Gangs are how I got these wounds, and I'm not about to repeat the whole thing."

The other teen steadily nods his head. "I had a feeling that's what you'd say. The ANBU wouldn't listen, though; they insist on making me their messenger boy." He sighs. "Get well, Sasuke Uchiha. I'll see you in school." And then he was standing and taking long strides towards the door.

"Sai, wait," Sasuke calls in a tone slightly louder than his usual.

Sai spins around. "Yes?"

"Do you think the ANBU can do a favor for me?"

"Hmm, that depends…" Sai responds sneakily. "What's the favor?"

"The favor is…" Sasuke beckons for Sai to come closer. When he's close enough, the duck butt-haired boy whispers, "Get me out of here by New Year's. See, there's a party I don't want to miss. And since it's Christmas day, the holiday of giving and whatnot…"

Something rare occurred then: Sai smirks genuinely. "I'll see what we can do."

o0o0o0o0o

"Merry Christmas, Kankurou!" Temari said with a bright smile after her morning coffee. She hands him his giant dark purple (his favorite color) stocking. She hops over next to Gaara. She hands him a maroon one, stuffed to the brim with all sorts of things. "You too, baby brother. Merry Christmas."

Shukaku hummed along with the Christmas music as he nibbled on a handful of cookies. He didn't have any gifts from his niece and nephews due the fact that no one expected him to be here for the holiday. Although he did buy one or two things for them at the last minute.

"We have your stocking too, Temari," Kankurou adds with a smile of his own. He brought out her dark teal stocking with silvers stars decorating the edges. It wasn't nearly as full as hers was for the boys, but it held things equally priced.

"I love Christmas," Temari sighs contently as she pulls the first f her tiny gifts from the stocking. "And I love that we're all here to celebrate it, even Uncle Shu. I love that it's a white Christmas and that Gaara is safe at home with us." She sends Gaara's bandaged hands and black-rimmed eyes a caring glance. Then she unwraps her present and finds a box labeled Kay Jewelers. Her jaw unlocks and she gasps. "You didn't!"

"We did; me and Gaara both. Open it and take a look," the brunette urges.

Temari doesn't hesitate. She pops open the black box and lifts the white issue paper to find a necklace and earring set. The earrings are long and dangling in their place beside the pendant and chain of the necklace. Both the stud at the top of the earrings and the pendant are crafted from the precious gemstone, Peridot. If you don't know, it's a green crystalline gem forest-moss colored compared to emerald. Tiny diamonds were mingled into the lower half of the chain, a few bigger ones drooping in between the links. On the earrings themselves, silver spirals hung with one diamond at the tip, while one straight silver wire hung through the middle, two diamonds at it's tip. The pendant was Temari's favorite cut, too; it was in the shape of a teardrop.

Suddenly her arms were around both her younger brothers' shoulders as she yanks them into a hug. "Ooh, thanks so much! It's beautiful! I love it."

Kankurou slips out of the embrace. "Yeah, we thought you'd like it. It was Gaara's idea to get Peridot as the gemstone. He said Tanzanite or Sapphire wouldn't do your hair and eyes justice."

Gaara flushes in the slightest and glances away, as though denying he said such a thing. But Temari knows Kankurou wouldn't make something like that up. For good measure, Temari plants a kiss on the crown of Gaara's crimson locks. "Thanks again. Now let's see what else we have buried deep in here…"

From their stockings they each pull out the favorite candies: Temari's being Fannie May chocolates, Kankurou's being two Snickers bars and a box of Milk Duds, and Gaara's being Ghirardelli dark chocolate mint squares and a joke old favorite, sour gummy spiders.

"Gummy spiders?" Shukaku chuckles as his slipped feet kick back and forth on the carpet. "I used to love those when I was a kid! And the worms and octopuses. I liked to nibble off all the legs first, or eat the worm in halves by color."

A distant smile fills Gaara's aqua eyes. "I would do the same thing when I was younger."

The tattooed man nods to the stockings. "Well, don't stop on my account! Keep the gifts a-comin'!" he says in his thick, funky voice.

Temari withdraws a thick packet of baseball chewing gum, an old favorite of hers. Then a shimmering red package. "What's this?" she rhetorically asks her brothers. She finds a good starting point and rips the paper to find a set of eye shadow, all the right shades. And it was a fancy brand to boot. She cracks a smile. "And who helped you pick this out?"

"A woman at the store," Kankurou says weakly. "We showed her a picture of you and she showed us which colors would look best with your eyes, hair, and skin. I seriously had no idea, I had to ask. But she said this brand has makeup that lasts a really long time and stays true to it's color when you apply it. So I went with it."

She nudges Kankurou as a thankful gesture. "Thanks, Kanky. I've been meaning to buy more eye shadow."

"And what about this?" Kankurou says as a distraction. He holds up a small, flat parcel. "Looks and sounds like a DVD to me."

"Or a video game. You'll have to open it and find out." Temari winks.

"With pleasure," the brunette replies with a grin. His eyes widen when he sees what lay beneath the wrapping paper. "Ohmigod!"

"I helped her choose that," Gaara states listlessly.

Kankurou makes a squealing noise. "I've been dying to have the new Grand Theft Auto! Thanks a bunch!! I think I'm going to play it tonight…"

"Your turn, Gaara," Temari smiles.

The redhead buries his hand inside the maroon fabric and extracts a tube of eyeliner. "Ha ha," he grunts.

"Oh, come on, you know you were running low. And I was lucky to find a super thick stick, so you can apply it easier." Temari chuckles.

"Yeah, bro, be glad it wasn't a tube of lube instead. That'd be one gift to make you turn red. Remember Dad did that to me when I turned seventeen? For my birthday he bought me a tube of lubricant and a box of condoms as a joke. Not to say I was or wasn't sexually active, but…" Kankurou rambles with a nasty grin on his face.

Shukaku coughs into his coffee, some of the brown liquid spitting back into the mug. "Wh-what now?!"

This causes the middle child to laugh harder and Gaara to shake his head wearily. Temari whacks her cackling brother. "Not on Christmas, Kankurou!"

"Alright, alright… next present." Kankurou says breathlessly. He rubs his arm where Temari struck him.

By the time the stockings were all unloaded and the tossed aside paper was picked up, there were about two dozen gifts beneath the tree that needed tending to. Shukaku took the adults role near the tree and began handing out gifts, dividing the couple dozen or so into three piles. But as he picked one up to read which Sabaku child it belonged to, his face changed as he read the label. "For… me?" he questions.

Temari nods her head while she fiddles with a chunk of straw blonde hair. "Yup. We all pitched in last week to get you something. I hope you like it."

The Tanuki-like man turns the gift over in his hands while three sets of eyes watch him. Tearing open the paper, he finds a handcrafted wooden box with his name burned into the side. Lifting the lid and hearing un-oiled hinges squeak lightly, there is a surprise waiting inside. It was a gold framed watch with espresso brown leather straps. The watch face was an earthy onyx while the numbers and hands were a desert bronze. It was tough but elegant, expensive yet casual, and like an expression of Shukaku's strange personality. Tears form in his dark, golden eyes. "Oh…"

"Thought you'd like it," Temari says softly.

"When we found that box in Dad's workshop after the funeral, we knew we had to use it as a container for whatever we ended up buying you. It was blank when we found it, so I took the initiative of carving and burning your name onto it and adding a finish to the wood. I think our dad – your brother – would want you to have it." Kankurou explains.

"Thank you, all three of you. This is the best gift I've ever received," their uncle says hoarsely. A tear slips over his sandy colored eyelids and splash onto the watch.

"You're welcome."

Temari, Kankurou, and Shukaku stare at the speaker of those words. Because, for once, Gaara's voice held unforced emotion and he was glancing down humbly, his arms uncrossed.

Picking up the mood, Temari begins tearing into one of her gifts. "Now let's see what else we have here!"

o0o0o0o0o

"C'mon, Dad, get up! It's Christmas!"

Naruto's voice hammered into Kyuubi's skull as the teen proceeded to jump gleefully on his bed. "Uhg… what are you, 6 years old?" he groaned as he rolled onto his side. "What time is it, anyway?"

"About 8:30, maybe 9:00."

More groaning. "Can't you wait to bounce on me until after I've had my coffee?"

The blonde laughs and shakes his head. "Nope."

A defeated sigh. "Fine. Help me up and get my coffee started. Then maybe I'll actually wake up to join in your shenanigans."

"Yes!" Naruto cheers and yanks his adoptive father into sitting position. "I feel asleep with my new iPod Touch on, by-the-way. I really love that thing. Thanks again, Dad."

"Mhm," Kyuubi hums, waving a hand. "Knew you would. Now, about my java…"

"I'll get right on it, Sir!" Naruto said with false respect as he jokingly saluted the businessman.

Kyuubi chuckles at him as he races towards the kitchen. "Honestly, where does he get the energy?"

From knowing his date with Gaara was only a two days wait away.

See, Naruto had a plan: Gaara's said in the past that he dislikes his birthday, correct? Of 'course he has, that day they argued in chemistry and Mr. Hatake had to break it up.Gaara had had his arms folded over his chest while he leaned against the wall with Naruto in the hallway. _"I won't lie to you: I'm a bit 'troubled', as Mr. Umino calls it. Especially after moving to Konoha from Sunagakure, my hometown. It was my birthday when we got into that fight; and my birthday is never a pleasant day for me. So I was in a terrible mood and set myself off, in turn making you land a blow to my face. I'm not sure who more at fault for our rivalry is: you or me."_ …So his plan was to create the perfect event for Gaara's eighteenth birthday coming up in less than a month. Sort of like 'making up for lost times', or however the phrase goes.

Goals always left Naruto in a chipper mood. That, and it's Christmas; who isn't cheerful on Christmas? It's such a feel-good holiday! Sure, some people may bah-humbug it, but deep down they know they love this season.

The season for reason.

Reasons for living, loving, giving, and shoving. Reasons for living after a kidnap/murder situation fueled by revenge, reasons for loving after being enemies (of the same gender no less), for giving gifts and priceless moment, and for shoving in the proper direction.

But the shoving has yet to be revealed. Not until the New Year begins.

His mind oblivious to the things to come and focusing solely on the task at hand, Naruto scooped ground coffee beans into the maker and added water. Kyuubi came limping (due to stiff muscles from sleeping too heavily) into the room and sat clumsily into a chair at the table. He rubbed his crusty red-brown eyes and grunted. "I was hoping to sleep in today."

"You should've went to bed earlier, then." Naruto teased as he listened to the coffee machine gurgle. It pours steaming hot liquid into the fat kettle at a steady pace, and vaguely the blonde thinks of his boyfriend's caffeine addiction aforementioned.

Hmm, speaking of him, maybe Naruto should tell Kyuubi about it to prepare him for their date the day after tomorrow… Briefly Naruto pictures hot coffee being spit into his face in disbelief and an immediate retraction of his remaining gifts. Naruto scratches his head. _Eh… it can probably wait until after Christmas._

Once the java kicked into Kyuubi's system, he was more than ready to dive into the pile underneath the tree. Naruto was just as eager to join him, too.

"Who's turn is it to go first with their stocking this year?" Naruto asks as he sits cross-legged on the sofa.

Kyuubi leans back against the armchair across the room. "Hmm…" he ponders.

_I swear, when he thinks like that, I can almost picture nine different tails twitching in thought and two long ears pinned back,_ Naruto thinks with a shake of his head. _And I have no idea why. Maybe because, not only is he named for the legendary demon, but he acts like a fox. Weird… yet funny. Haha._

"It's your turn to go first for stockings and me for presents. So here," the middle-aged man says.

The blonde smiles brightly and picks up the old Dragonball Z stocking he's had since he was about nine. Yeah, Naruto went through a big muscular-anime-men-fighting-each-other stage. "Let's see what we got in here…"

He laughed at the first item on top. Chocolate coins. A tradition that Kushina would always put in either the very top or the very toe. Kyuubi has kept the tradition each year since her death. Next, two DVDs: a two-part box set of Scrubs, a comedy doctor show that Naruto gets a kick out of every time he watches it. Then, near the bottom, dozens of gumballs for his gumball machine (it's been empty in his room for months now). A couple trinkets, like a couple crystalline beads…

"To thread onto your mother's necklace. I thought you'd like them; black and seafoam and the same blue as the pendant."

Naruto smiles warmly. "Thank you." He picks up the other trinket, shut away in a tiny velvet box. He pops it open and catches the small item before it can escape to somewhere behind the couch. "A class ring?"

Kyuubi nods. "From when I went to Konoha High. I figure you'll use it to go steady with a lucky young gal one of these days."

Lucky? Maybe. Young? Definitely. But a gal…? Not so much.

Naruto smiles again. "Thanks for this. It means a lot, you have no idea."

_It'll make a good birthday gift for Gaara. To show that I'm serious… or should I wait until later? How will Gaara react, anyhow?_

Mind teeming with swimming thoughts, Naruto continues the last of his journey into his stocking. There isn't much in it this year because of the iPod Touch. He withdraws a whoopee cushion and some parachute army men.

"A blast from the past that you can use in the future," Kyuubi chuckles. "Hey, I was running out of stocking suffer ideas. Sue me."

"No, no…" Naruto laughs with his adoptive father. "They're great. I've actually been tempted to buy a whoopee cushion for a while now. And these army men will be a lot of fun down the stairs at school."

"Well, I'm glad," Kyuubi smiles. Then he lifts his own stocking. "My turn!"

Naruto makes a face. "I hope you like it… It's a lot lamer than yours."

"I doubt it, Naru. I bet you did great like last year."

"It was mostly candy last year; that's pretty cheesy. And this year…" he makes another face.

"Oh… maybe it is lamer, then." Kyuubi winks. "But I'll be the judge."

The blonde sighs and relaxes into the couch while fiddling with the class ring. It only fits on his pinky finger… Kyuubi must've had thin fingers growing up. Naruto's own took after his fathers: easily callused, big and meaty without being fat or chubby. Working hands, his mother called them.

"OH!"

Naruto jumps in his seat. "What?"

"I LOVE THESE!" Kyuubi flashes an item from his stocking at Naruto, his eyes bright and solidly brown. The item, after some processing, Naruto realizes were the Razzles he bought Kyuubi. Fruity-candy-turned gum. "AND THESE!!" he says with just as much energy. He found the Red Hots.

"Unlike last year, those are the only candies you have besides –"

"PEANUT M&M'S!" Kyuubi practically squeals. Now you see why Naruto stuffed his stocking with mostly candy last year: the guy's a sugar junkie. He didn't act like one at work, but at home…

"– The M&M's." Naruto finishes. "The rest is just… random stuff you like and want."

"Like these?" the business man grins. He's showing off two unwrapped kneaded art erasers. They were grey and rubbery and good for soft pencils… or stress release. Kyuubi liked to play with them idly while he worked. It eased his mind. Plus, he was the type to toy around with things. Especially people.

"Keep going," Naruto nudges.

Kyuubi digs around and finds DVDs of old and new favorites. The old favorites being the first DVDs they own of certain VHS tapes locked in a storage bin in the shed. Then he finds in his stocking warm slipper socks for his feet, a fresh bottle of his favorite cologne, and a deck of playing cards based on characters of the entire Justice League. And then, as a joke… foam packing peanuts. Because Kyuubi hates them. "Hardy har-har." The man rolls his eyes. "This better mean you have more gifts for me."

"Oh, trust me, I do!" Naruto says with a thumbs-up and a wink, his signature move. "But what do you have for me besides the iPod? Not much, I'm guessing."

"You'd be surprised," Kyuubi says with a half-smirk. "Well, it's my turn to open presents first, so hand one to me, Naruto."

"Here you are, Sir!" The blonde grins as he hands a dark blue, white, and silver-wrapped rectangular prism (ha, bet you never read anyone write that to describe a present!) to the older man.

Kyuubi takes it into his hands and shakes I gently. "Now _you _better not have gotten_ me_ a puppy," he teases, think of what Naruto said the previous night. He slides the bow and ribbons off (slightly impressed that Naruto didn't screw it up; he's getting better with gift wrapping now that he's had some years to practice,) quickly, eager to get to what was inside. He tears he tape, rips open the cardboard box, removes the tissue paper, tossing it all down to a heap on the carpet. Then Kyuubi gasps. "Ooh!"

"Do you like the wallet?" Naruto asks sheepishly with a scratch of his cheek. "It's a lot sturdier than the one you have now… and it can hold more."

"It's made of genuine leather! How did you afford this?" Kyuubi says in awe while he opens the wallet and inspects the inside.

"I have my ways," the blonde says sneakily.

"What's this…?" the russet-haired man chuckles with a raise of his eyebrow. He yanks a chunk of plastic from one of the credit card slots. "A gift card for seventy-five dollars at Barnes and Nobel?"

Naruto nods. "It's one of your favorite stores at the mall, so I figure, y'know… the next time we go, you can spend it."

"Thank you, son," Kyuubi glows softly. "This must've cost you quite a bit."

The teenager shrugs. He laces his fingers behind his head as he leans back on the couch and says, "There's still a little more, though. Those two red ones are your other presents."

"Two red ones…?" He glances behind him and around him at the base of the overly-decorated pine tree. A few green needles fall into his hair, making Naruto snort with laughter. Oblivious to the fallen pine needles, Kyuubi picks up the two medium-sized gifts. A golden bow glimmered on each of the packages, and Kyuubi inspected them. Shrugging like, 'oh well, no sense wasting time trying to figure it out!' he opens them hastily. Then he gasps. The first package contained cufflinks in the shape of Loony Tunes's Tasmanian devil, or Taz for short. Then the other package was an MP3 CD playable in Kyuubi's car stereo. It held every last one of Kyuubi's favorite songs, as well as some new ones of Naruto's he thought his adoptive father would like. They were categorized by genre, so all similar songs could be listened to together. It also helped the music flow better.

"I spent hours making that MP3," Naruto explains with a small smile. "I figure you can listen to it on and off during your rides to and from work. …As for the cufflinks… I saw them and thought you'd like them. I had no real theme for your presents this year, unlike my gifts all fox-related or sport-related a couple years back. I just got random stuff you'd need or want."

Kyuubi stood, set his gifts aside, and came to embrace Naruto. The blonde blinks once or twice before softening into the hug. It's strange… he's been hugging Naruto more these past few days than he has these past few years.

"Thank you, Naru-to. I honestly love_ all_ the things you got me. They were well thought out, even if they weren't themed. Thanks again."

"Psh, you're welcome. No need to get all mushy about it, y'know," Naruto mutters embarrassedly. His cheeks feel warm. Not like they would when Gaara is around, but pleasantly warm from the affection. Normally Kyuubi wouldn't act like this; it's nice, however long it's lasts. _Must be coming from the kidnapping scare,_ Naruto guessed.

"And now it's your turn," the older man says as he pulls swiftly out of the embrace. He hands Naruto an orange-wrapped package with a dark blue bow and single loop of ribbon. What ever happened to red and green and white with silver and gold? Traditional Christmas colors? But Naruto didn't care, he loved orange and blue. And black. And red…

Naruto tears into the gift, wondering what Kyuubi will surprise him with. Especially after bestowing a very-expensive internet-connected iPod Touch _early._ Not too much, he knows, but whatever else he receives will be like a bonus. And he'll be appreciative even if it's socks or underwear, which kids normally don't like to get on Christmas. He could care less what Kyuubi bought him, because at the moment, Naruto's heart is light and content.

o0o0o0o0o

"Merry Christmas, asshole," one of the guards at the prison says into Itachi's cell. "Have any plans for today? Oh, wait, I forgot: it doesn't matter what you have planned, because you're stuck here like every other felon!" He laughs cruelly, adding to his insensitivity by tapping on the iron bars with his black-painted officer club. "And you're going to be stuck here for a_ long_ time."

Itachi glances up at the guard, whom looked much less fit than he should be at his age. His face was plump and round, and a smearing of 'face fuzz' coated the perimeter of his mouth. And his cheeks appeared flush, as if he were buzzed on alcohol. …Just the way Itachi liked his guards. "On the contrary… I do have plans for the holidays. Unfortunately, I have to wait five days until I can carry them out."

The guard's facial expression declines from smile to gaping fish. "What…?"

"If you didn't hear me, come closer," he says, staring directly into the guard's eyes. Itachi's metallic/red gaze was hypnotic in the way it could rule you. The guard steps closer, his leather soled shoes shuffling against the cement. He leans in… and…

**Wham!**

_Chink!_

_**Thud.**_

…That's all the opportunity someone of Itachi Uchiha's standards needed.

**

* * *

**

**author's taunting:**

**HA! PATHETIC MORTAL FOOLS! DID YOU HONESTLY THINK A PRISON COULD HOLD A MASTERMIND SUCH AS ITACHI UCHIHA?**

**PFFHT, 'COURSE NOT.**

**NOW REVIEW OR FACE BAGGY-EYED PONYTAIL MAN'S WRATH!!1!one**


	35. Chapter 34: A Very Becoming Homecoming

Chapter 34: A Very Becoming Homecoming

Vastly similar to Naruto's nerves before his meeting with the anonymous Resshin, Gaara found himself in a distressed state.

For once, he worried about what he was going to wear, even though he knows it'll be covered by his winter coat for part of the time; Naruto hadn't slipped a hint (which was frustrating in itself for the blonde to do) about where they were going, merely said it'd be a walk to end the evening with and too meet near the movie theatre.

But the redhead didn't mind. As long as he was with Naruto, he knew he'd have a good time. Because out of everything he's ever done, including going with Temari to the mall or someplace with his family as a child, nothing made him as happy as being with Naruto. For some reason, the blonde brightened his depressing life like a ball of sunshine in a greenhouse. And Gaara was one plant in the center, attempting to soak up every last bit of that delicious sun; or at least as much as he was able to hold.

A purplish-maroon sweater in hand with a white undershirt, Gaara slipped into the bathroom to blow-dry his hair (he couldn't have it freezing outside on his date, now could he?). The fabric of his black slacks rubbed against his hips, leaving gently pink lines as he bent and swerved to heat his crimson locks.

"Got a hot date?" Kankurou asks with a smirk. He leant against the frame of the door while Gaara adjusted the collar and long sleeves of his undershirt.

He unnoticeably jumps at the sound of his older brother's voice. _How long has he been standing there?_ the redhead wonders self-consciously. He didn't fancy the idea of his brother watching him dance with himself to dry his hair. He rolls his light teal orbs. "You already know about my date tonight."

The brunette chuckles. "Yeah, I do. But Uncle Shu doesn't." He lifts his chin. "Going to tell him yet?"

"Perhaps on New Year's," he replies, his voice muffled inside the soft fibers of the sweater.

"You wear a lot of reds, blues, blacks, and whites; do you know that?"

"Do I?" Gaara comments as he tugs the sweater into place over his pants. He fakes a shrug. "I hardly noticed."

Kankurou grins. "You and your Gaaracasm." Gaara hated that phrase; it was a means of mocking him. See, he uses sarcasm often, so Temari and Kankurou – being the smart asses they are – came up with the word a while back. "But I don't know much about fashion and color choices, so who cares?" He pauses as Gaara begins brushing his teeth. "Speaking of fashion… this shirt you and Temari got me? Completely amazing. I was eyeing it and thought it was a frivolous buy. But I love it." He brought his arms down and around himself through the air to indicate the band tee they picked up at the mall some odd weeks ago and presented to him just the other morning on Christmas.

Gaara pushes passed his older brother and heads to his room for the overly thick eyeliner tube his sister bought. While applying it to his bruised lids, top and bottom, he blinks at himself. His hand was shaking. And his lips looked post-chapped with a spot or two of bloody red cracks. He licks his lips, tasting vague traces of steel. Would Naruto kiss him tonight and taste the same thing? He hoped not. But it seemed inevitable.

Sighing through his nose, Gaara tossed the chunky black tube aside and slipped on his socks. Then grabbed his coat, snow boots, and keys. He was as ready as he'll ever be.

"Wait a minute, Gaara," Temari remarks. "Let me replace your bandages. The ones on your hand can be adhesive and no longer the gauze."

Gaara nods his head mutely and allows her to guide him to the kitchen. She retrieves the first aid kit from a high cabinet.

"Hold out your hands. This'll only take a minute," she mutters. Her breath smelled like coffee, peppermint, and gingerbread. It reminded Gaara exactly what season it was. Cool, sweet, yet spicy and strong.

Gaara obeys and brings his mitts up between them, palm-up. Temari takes them in her own hands and unwraps the gauze. Two jagged cuts smile with bloody lips at her, and she winces. "It doesn't hurt nearly as much as you think," Gaara reassures as she slathers ointment on the four-day-old wounds. Sealing it with two giant nude-colored band-aids and a kiss on his forehead (which caused Gaara to frown. He still wasn't used to Temari's new affection, though he took it in stride; Naruto was somewhat the cause for his progress).

"Now get outta here, Stud. Your man's waiting!" she teases, her hand miming a slap on his bottom.

A faint blush tints his cheeks. The redhead shakes his head at her and shoos away her mimed ass-slap hand. "Goodbye. See you later tonight," he mutters.

"Be safe, Gaara. No late-night partying, even if it's winter break!" Kankurou calls when Gaara is partway out the door. He grins wickedly. "Oh, and no sex, either; as tempting as it may be."

Gaara flushed more this time around. To hide it, he snaps back at him: "I'll be sure to resist both."

"Stop with the Gaaracasm already!" He can hear his brother chortle as the front door shuts behind him.

A breath of crisp, chilling air caresses Gaara's face, bringing his mind into full awareness. It carries with it the scent of rusting, dried pine and snow. Even snow has a scent; watery and unyielding, frosty and bland. But most of all, it smelled pure. Cleansing. Which is why, currently, Gaara wanted to stand for a moment and allow his mind to be cleared passed the awareness. A full mind-sweep to turn his thoughts into an unsoiled slate of white. Like the snow around him.

A smile drifted to his lips as he proceeded to his car; well, Kankurou's car, but details meant squat when you're going out on a date. So long as you're with the person you care about…

"Humph," Gaara grunts to himself, smile fading. He could see traffic in the distance. He sighs lightly through his nose. "I'm going to be late, yet again. Naruto won't be pleased about that."

o0o0o0o0o

Indeed he wasn't. Naruto paces outside the movie theatre, his cast wrist ungloved. He flexes his fingers to keep his blood pumping. One of his knuckles crack. "Does Gaara make it a habit of being last to every date he goes to?"

Although he probably shouldn't use the word 'date'; dates are for people who don't know one another and are merely hoping for a good time… meaning a possible a make-out session or sex. What Naruto and Gaara want out of this is to woo the other and have their affection. What they are doing is technically considered 'courting'. So this would be a… courtship meeting? Never mind, that sounds animalistic and odd; 'dating' it is.

Finally, a car pulls up. Naruto stares at it eagerly, suddenly unable to recall what the redhead's vehicle looked like. But before Naruto can try to remember, the car's lights are going out and a door is opening… it's Gaara after all. A smile breaks out on his lightly tanned face.

"You could have waited in the theatre where it's warm," Gaara says lowly when he's within Naruto's earshot.

The blonde shrugs and begins unraveling his scarf. It dangles on either side of his neck and now his mouth and nose are revealed. They step into the movie theatre, their snowy boots meeting damp, flat carpet. "Nah. I wanted to wait for you where I could find you easily. 'Sides, I'm not cold." He leans over to skillfully take Gaara's hand without anyone noticing. It's icy even through his singular glove. Naruto frowns. "Some coffee should heat you up. I'll buy," he tells the redhead in a light tone.

Gaara shrugs. "Alright." He pauses before remembering to add: "Thank you."

Naruto's grin returns. "You're welcome."

Cheap coffee in hand, Gaara waits as Naruto orders himself a whole smorgasbord of movie treats ranging from popcorn to sour gummies to chocolate. Even Dibs, those little ice cream bites, despite the time being the middle of winter. He just earned the movie theatre a shitload of money in one order. _Where does he get he cash to pay for that? _Gaara wonders. _Or the appetite… _

"Did you want anything?" he asks before the cashier rings up the total.

Gaara shakes his head.

"Okay, that's it, then." Naruto tells the cashier. The zit-faced teen (a little younger than him, about fifteen, Naruto notices) adds the total and hands over the treats while Naruto forks out the cash. He pays and fills his arms with the junk food. "Let's go!" he says around a sip of his drink.

Gaara is tempted to roll his eyes at his hurricane, but instead smiles with them. His lips don't switch from their thin line, but he can tell Naruto caught the grin. They proceed to get their tickets ripped into stubs and locate their theatre. Once inside, of 'course they argue over seating.

"I like to sit in front, close to the screen."

"I prefer the back."

"But up front you can really hear the movie!"

"But in back you don't need to crane your neck upwards to see the screen."

They compromised to sit in the very middle row in the center seats. It was actually the best spot in the theatre, where the movie is not too loud nor too soft, and you can see the entire screen without squinting or 'craning your neck', as Gaara put it..

Almost no one else was there yet, since the two boys arrived earlier than expected, even though Gaara arrive late.

"Why are the floors always sticky?" Naruto grumbles as he makes his way down the row.

Anyone could figure out why; it was common sense. But Naruto had none, so Gaara supplied him with it. "Lots of people spill their drinks and candy, and not always can they mop the floors, so even after sweeping there is sticky residue leftover."

"Oh," Naruto says airily. Suddenly, he laughs. "I thought it was became someone _came_."

Gaara raises an eyebrow at the innuendo. "Dane Cook?" he asks.

Naruto nods with a smile on his face. "Yup. The _Vicious Circle_ DVD. Kiba has it and we watched it together (for the fifth time) at his house not too long ago."

Butt meets folding seat, and Gaara reclines back as Naruto situates himself with all his treats. Half of them end up in his lap.

"Can you hold the popcorn for me?" Naruto requests as a bag of Skittles fall to the floor. He frowns at the sound of candy bag connecting with tile. "Dammit."

"Sure," Gaara says nonchalantly. He picks up the red bag and places it in Naruto's lap. He then takes hold of the edge of the popcorn cup and rests it between his legs. "Is that all?"

Naruto started. "Huh?" He had been too much in a daze from Gaara's hand coming so close to his thigh and then watching where the popcorn cup was placed. He clears his throat. "Um, yeah, that's all. Thanks."

The lights dim, and it takes Naruto until the previews begin rolling to realize that many more people had filed in around them in the theatre.

"Hey, Gaara," Naruto whispers after the first preview, some cheesy romantic comedy, left the screen. "We're going for a walk somewhere special after this. Is that all right with you?" In the darkness, Naruto sees shoulder movement; a shrug. He smirks minutely. "Good."

Pretty soon, the action movie previews fade, along with the animated movie previews. Then, the feature film begins. Since it's just after Christmas, all the epic movies remained in theatres; this was one of those movies. It's supposed to be thrilling (to the eyes), lengthy, and complicated (plot-wise). It was sure to be a good movie.

If only Naruto could concentrate on it.

Instead, his eyes were watching Gaara's barely lit profile, his blank face absorbing the scenes and his eyes reflecting the colorful light. His coat, the blonde noticed, was pealed back some to show a nice sweater underneath, although he couldn't tell what hue; something dark-colored.

Being crafty, Naruto didn't ask to have the popcorn; instead, he reached over right between Gaara's legs and stole a handful. He could only imagine Gaara's emotions as he did so. Naruto took triumph in the buttery, salty taste that crunched between his teeth.

Gaara didn't like Naruto reaching over, nearly touching his crotch, to get popcorn. So he tossed it (thereby spilling some kernels) into the blonde's lap with a small scowl on his face.

That only made Naruto smirk wider. The action showed just how flustered Gaara was by the action. Somehow, annoying Gaara brought Naruto joy; because he knew he was the only one who could without getting severe consequences

Naruto made a mental note to go to a horror movie next time; he loved them and was never very scared of them, but Gaara didn't know that. He could easily cling to the redhead in false-fright during the film, and by doing so, would be annoying/embarrassing him. Sounded like a good plan…

The film ended soon enough, feeling short to Naruto since he hadn't been focusing very hard on it. Gaara was much more interesting. He was glad, too, that he didn't fall asleep this time. Although his mouth tasted strange… like Hershey's and Sour Patch Kids: sour-fruity-chocolate. Not a pleasant combo. Smacking his lips together, Naruto felt inside his pockets for a mint. He found a tin of Altoids; perfect. He pops one of the small, white, saucer-shaped mints into his mouth. He starts panting, the flavor being too intense and scorching his throat and nose with minty iciness.

Gaara crosses his arms over his chest once he had his coat zipped properly. He raises an eyebrow at Naruto. The blonde smiles apologetically and fishes in his pocket to show the Altoids tin as an explanation. In retrospect, placing a strong mint on your tongue right before going outside into the dead of winter was not a brilliant plan. It made every inhale excruciating.

After leaving the theatre, Naruto stopped Gaara from gong to his car. "I told you, I wanted to walk you someplace first."

The redhead nods, secretly appreciating not having to go home straight away; who knows how much teasing he was in for from his siblings. Especially from the Pervy Kitty (a joke between him and Temari; Temari came up with the name when Kankurou was twelve, clad in his favorite hat and already sneaking glances at brassiere-covered breasts in the girls' locker room). He rejoins Naruto's side as the blonde directs him towards the center of town. "Where are we headed?" he wonders dimly.

"You'll have to wait and see," Naruto grins cockily. He loves knowing things when other people don't; sometimes it's a burden, like when Sasuke returned, and sometimes it's a prideful sort of joy because you know they're going to like your surprise. This is precisely one of those times.

Naruto holds out his ungloved hand, the wrist marked from his rough bonds – a memento to the horror they had survived together. Hesitantly, Gaara grasps the offered hand, a shiver running up his spine from the icicle-like temperature of normally sunny skin. They walk for a long distance in silence, and for once it felt soothing rather than awkward for Naruto.

He sighs gently, his thumb beginning to rub small circles on Gaara's hand. The redhead looks over at him, slightly puzzled by the action. Naruto merely smiles. "We're almost there," he comments as they weave through a narrow alley.

Gaara stiffened, feeling a tad claustrophobic in the tight space, but the feeling of another hand in his calmed his nerves some.

When they reach the end, a turn around the siding of a building brings vibrant, whirring colors and soft glowing to their eyes. White, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, silver and gold. Strings of white lights donned each pine tree, spiraling up from trunk to tip in draped loops. Multi-colored lights were hung from the lampposts and in the windows of nearly every store, outlining Konohagakure with festive rainbows. Ornaments twisted on their strings from the canopies of the shops, their random bulbous shapes super-sized than normal tree décor size. The sashes around the shop doors and the tinsel stuck in the trees gave the night air a warmer feel, and in the dim lighting everything seemed to glimmer. Even the snow appeared decorative the way it clung to the tops of the canopies and rims of the center monument. It laced every possible surface with angelic white, creating an innocent scene.

Resshin hadn't meant to gasp, though he did, and quite loudly. It turned hushed and became a sigh by the time he was finished, and Naruto gave his hand a squeeze.

"Let's walk into the trees; they only have this up until the 30th. After that, no more Christmas trees."

Slowly, the earthquake nodded his head and followed Shippuuden's lead into the forest of holiday beauty.

After a few minutes, Naruto spoke: "It's pretty, isn't it? My mom used to take me to see the Christmas trees every year. She said it was where Minato – that's my biological father – took her on their first year anniversary of engagement. I never saw what was the big deal when I was younger; I mean, they're just trees with lights and glass balls and shiny ribbons, right? But, y'know… I've grown to appreciate them. Konoha does them with a different color scheme every other year or so. This year it's simplicity at it's finest: traditional colors. But last year it was burgundy, cream, and gold; the year before, two shades of blue plus white and silver. And before that, mauves and pinks with gentle yellow-gold accents. It's kinda creative in my opinion," he rambles on as he lets go of Gaara's hand and shoves his own in his pant pockets. He hadn't want to let go, but he knew Gaara was still getting used to so much physical contact. So he did things in small increments.

Gaara hardly noticed the removal of Naruto's hand since his own was growing numb with cold. He stuffed them in his coat pockets, the fuzzy inner lining making him get some feeling back already. He was listening to his boyfriend, however; he heard every single word. Naruto voice was smooth and bursting with emotion; it was a pleasant thing to listen to.

There's a pause until Resshin agrees: "Yes, it is creative. And… 'pretty'." He's not sure what to say about Naruto's parents' past experience, nor about his own child opinion on Christmas trees since he didn't grow up around any, having lived in Suna and with a parent who didn't care for traditions.

Silence followed, a peaceful ghost floating between the boys as they waded through the snow with smothered crunching sounds. The trees towered over them, although some were shorter than the teens were, those being younger trees.

"What did you guys do for Christmas this year?" the blonde asks as he idly kicks a lump of snow. What prompted him to do so in the silence, not even he knew. The action disturbs a sleeping squirrel under a nearby tree, causing it to scurry off. Naruto's eyes following it's bushy tail until it disappears through the bushes.

The other boy makes a motion that resembled a shrug. "Not much; bought a few gifts, received a few, and had a nice dinner. The usual."

The hurricane cocks his head. "Nothing special to mention? Like a certain gift? I got an iPod touch," he offers excitedly to boast… and give an example.

"That's great," he remarks flatly. Yet his eyes seem to glisten with a smile.

Slowly, Naruto's face evolves into a pout. "You're not very energetic about things, are you?"

The poet shakes his head 'no' as if to say, 'not particularly, but you should already know that'.

_Well then,_ Naruto thinks deviously, _I'll just have to fix that fact… on your birthday. You'll be very energetic when you see the surprise party I have for you! And you'll be pretty shocked when I give you Kyuubi's old class ring. It'll be classic!_ Outside his thoughts, Shippuuden grins warmly. "So…" he says, "Got any plans for New Year's? We're having this party at my house, so if you want to come, you can."

"Naruto, I don't know…" Gaara mutters. He glances at the trees and keeps his eyes focuses on the reflections of the lights on the snow covering the wispy green needles.

"What don't you know? It's only a little get-together among friends and family. Lots of friends will be there, along with their a few of their parents, so it's no one you don't already know. Plus… I want you there," he adds a bit sheepishly. "I mean, of 'course I would, you're my…" he drifts off, unnerved by the awkwardness of the word 'boyfriend'. "But I can understand if you wouldn't want to." Naruto adds softly.

Gaara didn't like the sound of that. He sighs through his nose. "It's not that. I would like to, but…"

Thankfully, Naruto seems to understand the concept now. "Oh," he mouths. He makes an apologetic face. "Sorry. I forgot how it might be for you. But you went to Sasuke's Halloween party, so why can't you come to my New Year's one? Shukaku and your siblings are invited, too."

Gaara bit the inside of his lower lip. Truthfully, he preferred it when he was alone with the blonde instead of around others. Yet he can't refuse Naruto now after such an offer. So, he nods his head; his way of agreeing to go.

Naruto smirks ear to ear, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He suddenly spots pink swallowing Gaara's nose. "You must be cold; how 'bout we grab something hot to drink from one of the shops back there? I'm hungry enough for a bowl of noodles…"

Holding back an eye roll of Naruto's love of food, he complies. Gaara was rather cold, and some coffee or tea would do nicely. Naruto would probably order hot chocolate if he couldn't get his noodles; goes to show how different the two boys can be.

Hence, with a playful nudge and the crunch of boots in snow, the two headed back towards the center of town with steaming hot beverages in mind. Hopefully, more conversation was ensured. Because all Naruto wanted to do was get Gaara to open up a wee bit more; already he knew a lot about the redhead, but he wanted to know it all eventually.

…Also, he needed present ideas for Gaara's birthday. He couldn't rely entirely on his e-pal's siblings for information; some he has to retrieve for himself.

o0o0o0o0o

The 31st of December, a.k.a. New Year's Eve arrived. The air was chill but the sun was warm, and the snow had melted from the streets, sidewalks, and yellow-green grass except for in the placed of shadow. Snow never lasts long in Konoha; the last falls of snow usually occurred around February.

Naruto was on a cleaning spree, awake since the crack of dawn and shuffling around the house with a dust rag in one hand and Pine-Sol in the other. And then paper towels with Windex. Then Scrubbing Bubbles with a different rag. And the vacuum… and the broom… and the mop… with a dustpan and bucket of water and everything.

"Slow down, Naru-to! You're going to clean the house down to it's framework!" Kyuubi warned with a chuckle.

The teen gave a weary smile and thumbs-up. "That's my goal!"

This proceeded to make Kyuubi laugh harder.

Hours later, after a calming shower than both unknotted Naruto's worked muscles and got the grime off him, it was nearly time for the party. His hair damp and his clothes only halfway on, Naruto waltzed into the kitchen. "What's cookin', doc?" he asks with a Bugs Bunny accent.

"Wascally wabbits," Kyuubi retorts with a wolfish grin and a purposely hoarse voice.

The two laugh. Then Naruto peers into the pan, but fails to see since a lid covers the top. "Seriously, what are you cooking? You never told me your meal plans for the party, you know."

"You're right, I didn't tell you; because I wanted it to be a surprise. I decided to make your favorite."

"…Homemade ramen?!" Naruto squeaks out while gasping.

"Yup, homemade ramen." He lifts the lid to reveal a swirling pan of everything under the sun that Naruto loves to eat, minus the key ingredient: noodles.

"Whee!" he squeals with happiness. He even goes as far as to shove his fist into the air, a signature victory move.

Suddenly, there's a few knocks at the door. "Bet that's Sakura. She's always first to our house," Kyuubi comments as he dumps three balls of long curly noodles into the mix to cook. "Go answer the door, will you?"

"Sure," Naruto shrugs. He tosses his yet-to-be-put-on shirt over his shoulder and reaches for the doorknob; the second he sees who's on the other side he suddenly wishes doors were like two-way mirrors and weren't entirely opaque.

Even with the heat of his home around him, Naruto still felt the chill of the pre-January air turn his nipples erect. That must be quite the sight to see for the too-early guest.

Bright, burning cherry coats Gaara's cheeks and he immediately casts his eyes to the welcome mat below his feet. He brought a hand to cover his mouth, which he felt twitching into a teeny smile; plus, something was building up above his nostrils… most likely a nosebleed. "I thought you wouldn't mind if I arrived a bit early since I'm usually late, but… apparently… you're not prepared."

Understatement of the year.

"No, uh, it's okay… come in, Gaara…." the blonde mumbled, feeling terribly embarrassed. _Uhg, I must look extremely 'come hither' right now; wet hair, no shirt, cold nipples… jeez._

"Heh, seems I guessed wrong. Hello Gaara!" Kyuubi rings from the kitchen. "Ya like ramen? I'm making some right now for dinner tonight. It's my sister's recipe, and Naruto's absolute favorite."

_Obviously; his e-mail address is 'addicted2ramen',_ the back of Gaara's mind says. But the front of his mind was centered around the picture of a shirtless, half-nude Naruto. Whom at the moment ran off to slip into his shirt to be a bit more decent for his only guest; although he was so embarrassed that he was struggling with the piece of fabric. Meanwhile, the redhead was taking a seat on the living room sofa trying to clear his thoughts, since most of them had the words 'flawless', 'gorgeous', 'sculpted' and '_hotdamn_' in them; the latter being one of Kankurou's phrases.

"So, Gaara," Kyuubi says while he taste-tests the ramen. "You got a job at Boarder's, I heard."

"That's correct," says the redhead quietly.

The businessman smirks, glad he found a stable topic of conversation while Naruto was busy making himself decent. "Does it pay well?" he wants to know.

"Relatively."

"Are you saving up or college?"

"Yes," he replies curtly. He would have nodded if Kyuubi could see it; he didn't like speaking when a nod or shake would suffice.

"How much do you have so far?"

"Not nearly enough."

Before an awkward silence can break out, Naruto pops into the room. "Thirsty, Gaara?" he asks automatically. "We have every soda pop known to man next to our refrigerator, so if you want something –"

"Dr. Pepper mixed with a Pepsi," he says simply. It was his current favorite; the intermingling of the two caffeinated sodas tasted delicious and gave him the fix he needed for his ever-present caffeine addiction.

"Okay," Naruto smiles. He turns and digs for one in the many boxes on the side of the fridge. He spots the dark red box and the blue one and grabs a can of each, then reaches for another from the citrus-flavored Vault for himself.

While the hurricane was retrieving a glass to mix the pops in, the doorbell rang. Sakura, with an overly-white grin eating her face, let herself in as though she lived there. Which she sort of did; she had a key, after all. "Hey Kyuubi, hey Naru! I'm home!" she jokes, playing up the 'waltzing right in' act. She comes up the stairs to see Gaara being handed a dark beverage in a glass. "Oh! Hey to you, too, Gaara." She winks at the redhead before turning to Naruto. "Get me an A&W cream soda would ya?"

"Sure thing!" And he tosses her the can after he located it. Naturally, she catches it.

"When will everyone else get here?" the pinkette grunts as she pops open the aluminum. Fizzing is heard, followed by slurping as she takes a sip.

"Soon," Naruto replies. "In about half an hour, give or take a few minutes."

Sakura smirks. "Excellent."

"What do you guys want to do until then?" Naruto asks his guests.

But Kyuubi is the one who answers. "I say you set the table full of snacks and bowls for before and during supper. And the blow up the balloons you forgot about, Naruto."

"Oh! Right…" the blonde sweatdrops, since he had forgotten the balloons. "We can do that. C'mon, guys," he says lightly.

Approximately two dozen dishes spread across the table and five bags of dollar store balloons later, the entire subbasement floor was covered in colorful balls of deadweight and the three teens were suffering dizzy spells. Which is the exact moment that the knocking sounded from the front door and Lee came busting into the abode, bringing the rest of the party with him.

And so it began, the first few hours of a very becoming homecoming.

o0o0o0o0o

In the meantime, Itachi was contemplating what on Earth he was going to say. More importantly, he was trying to decide how he was going to present himself. He needed things to be subtle, calm, and discreet. He needed things to go smoothly… all of which seeming impossible when he was dealing with his baby brother.

"I have until tomorrow," he reasons aloud. "That's when Sasuke will come home after his all-nighter at the Uzumaki house."

Itachi was in a stolen car, having had no money for a bus or anything else. The car was luckily not owned by anyone; at least, not presently. He found it in a landfill near the prison; he was fortunate enough to have it be only the sixteenth car he tried to hotwire. It had started but wouldn't move due to lack of gas. More fortunate, the prison had been showing Mythbusters on the television the other day, and they proved in the scientific show that you could run a car on used French fry/cooking oil. So he stocked up a bunch of the smelly stuff he also found in the landfill.

Which lead him to this point: miles of driving and taking long routes to avoid cops and hours from jail later, he was nearing the Uchiha Estate. He could only hope he was correct in his guesstimate time… if not, Sasuke would still be home prior to the party and would see him pull into the driveway. Which would be inopportune and ultimately bring around another day in court with a prejudice judge boring down on him. Itachi would not like that one bit, oh-no-siree.

"Perhaps if I wait up for him…" he thinks aloud dully. "Yes, that'll do. Then I can explain myself fully to him. I can only hope he understands. He's always been foolish enough to jump the gun…"

o0o0o0o0o

"Who wants to play Pin-the-L-on-the-Celebrity's-forehead?" Naruto sing-songs to his crowd of friends after a very fulfilling (not to mention scrumptious) ramen meal.

Kankurou smirks around his pop can. "Is that some sort of Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Donkey parody?"

Naruto nods in confirmation.

"What d'ya mean 'L'?" Kiba questions from his laid back position on the couch. Hinata was snoozing on his chest, having been like Goldilocks: she ate too much of a warm, good thing, and afterwards fell asleep.

"He means like _this_," Ino snickers, raising the back of her right hand to her forehead and screwing her eyes together with her tongue out as she made an 'L' with her thumb and forefinger. "Nyah-nyah," she taunts.

Everyone laughs. Kiba snorts. "You could've just said, 'the loser sign'."

More laughter, and then Lee smiles crookedly. "So which youthful celebrities did you pick for us to mock, Naruto?"

He holds up six posters, all pin-ups ripped from teen magazines. "Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Patrick whatever-his-name-is from Fall Out Boy; you know, the lead singer? And then Paris Hilton, Zac Effron, and Fergie."

"Ooh, I hate Fergie! She makes me so mad! Give me that L, Naru, I'm going to post it right over her skinny tummy." Sakura scowls.

"Aw, why Miley? I love Hannah Montana!" Ino complains.

"You would," Shikamaru and Temari grunt from the corner of the room. They exchange glances, surprised their minds were thinking the same thing at the same exact time. Then they chuckle to each other.

"Miley got too famous too fast and it all went to her snobby little head," Sakura says to answer her best friend's rhetorical question.

"Why Patrick, then? He ain't_ so_ bad." Chouji offers with a bag of cheddar Sun Chips in his hand.

"Because he got fat between the music videos for 'Sugar, We're Going Down' and 'Thnks Fr Th Mmrs'," Shino supplies. All heads turn to him for a moment; they forgot he had even been there.

"Okay, but why Zac? He's pretty cute," Ino murmured. She adored celebrities too much.

"That's just it," Sakura sighs to explain again, "He's _too_ cute. Too many girls fawn over him and it's annoying."

Ino places her hands on her hips and harrumphs in a high voice. She didn't agree with all this, but what the heck? Might as well make some celebrities losers before the new year. It's a good way of making room for new celebrities to admire.

And the game begun, one of Naruto's orange handkerchiefs being used as a blindfold.

o0o0o0o0o

"Good news, Sasuke," Sai remarked earlier that day. "The ANBU was able to make a pardon for you to leave this sickhouse. You'll be able to make that party after all."

Sasuke sat up on his cot and smirked. "Thank God."

"No, thank _us_," he retorted. He tossed a shopping bag across the room into the Uchiha's lap. "Here's some clothes we picked up for you from the Old Navy near our Base of Ops. Hope we guessed your sizes right," Sai said carelessly. He turned on his heal and left.

Sasuke said not a word to call after the strange boy, merely headed for the bathroom to change with the help of a nearby nurse.

"Funny," Sai sighed. "They wouldn't let me tell him the bad news or the reason why they agreed to his request." He shrugged. "No matter; he'll find out soon enough."

The truth was this: members of the ANBU and Akatsuki were the lone people who knew of Itachi's breakout. While the Akatsuki searched for their lost associate, the ANBU were plotting ways to deal with it. One option that was already set in motion was to have Sasuke meet up with his brother (as he surely would if he were out of the hospital) and gather information (that he would most likely spill to someone or another).

"I just pray things go smoothly for the poor guy," Sai said monotonously with a shake of his head. He knew Sasuke was a prick like himself, but for that reason he empathized with him. Plus… Sai didn't grow up with parents, just like Sasuke. In his case, they died much earlier by the Akatsuki's doing, and he was left to be raised by the ANBU. And Sai couldn't help but think that the Uchiha was – dare he say – **attractive**.

After Sai had left and Sasuke had gotten dressed, it was time to sign out, go home for a bit to properly shower and prepare himself, and then it was off to Naruto's New Year's celebration.

Sasuke could hardly wait. If anything, it was his last chance to apologize and put things back in order.

o0o0o0o0o

In the middle of the party, around the time of balloon volleyball and sparkling white grape juice bottle popping, Sasuke stepped onto the premises form his car and steadily made his way to the door. When someone answered it following his press at he doorbell button, he was face to face with Kyuubi.

"Sasuke…? Shouldn't you still be at the hospital? I mean, you're in a wheelchair and everything…" Kyuubi states with a worried expression on his face.

Shukaku comes up behind him, a beer in his hand. "Who's the late partygoer?" he questions in his gruff, husky voice.

Kyuubi opens the door up side to allow Sasuke inside, whom oddly enough still looked indignant and strong even in a wheelchair. "It's an old housemate of mine," the business man jokes. "You remember the Uchihas, right, Shu?"

"Aye," the blue-violet tattooed man grunts. He takes a swing of his beer. "They're a big family; who can forget them?"

"Well, this is the youngest, Sasuke." He introduces.

Shukaku gives a lopsided smile. "Hey there, Sasuke. Havin' a good New Year's Eve?"

"I will soon enough," he replies. He glances at the stairs that lead to the subbasement where everyone was. "Shit."

"Need help?" Kyuubi smiles sadly. It's odd seeing Sasuke look so helpless, and he felt the need to lend a hand even if the raven-haired boy had been an utter jerk last time he saw him.

"Hn," Sasuke grunts. "No. I'll figure it out."

In the end, however, Shukaku and Kyuubi insisted they life him – wheelchair and all – down he stairs. He was surprisingly lightweight.

"There you go, kid." Shukaku says.

"Thanks," he replies begrudgingly. He didn't like being helped; it made him feel weak. And weakness is one thing Sasuke was not meant to be recognized for. Ever.

The room noticeably grew quiet when the teens in the room saw the two adults leaving behind an old face. "Sasuke…?" Naruto mutters with a steadily increasing frown. Even Gaara turned his head, although his frowning expression was less confused and more hostile. Gaara's frown read, 'What the fuck are you doing here?'; whereas Naruto's clearly stated, 'Ohmigod, you're out of the hospital?! Since when?!'

And, to answer both their unstated questions, Sasuke forced a smile to his mouth (it grew twisted-looking) and lies: "I talked the doctors into letting me out early for the holiday. So… here I am!"

His forced enthusiasm hardly reaches anyone in the room.

Ino huffs and practically shoves her hands into the crooks of her elbows as she crosses her arms. Sakura scowls, on edge. Both girls held lingering feelings for the bastard, but Sakura's were true enough to ignore for the sake of her hurt, air-headed best friend.

Lee glances nervously around the room. "Must there be tension between friends? We should get the party back on track!"

Kiba nods. "You know, Lee's right," he says as he removes one of his hands from Hinata's sleeping form to point a finger-gun in his direction. "We can't stop on one person's account. 'Sides, I bet he's sorry for whatever you're mad at him for." Kiba hadn't been completely filled in on the Sasuke situation. Not much of anyone had been; the overly homosexual aspect of it was too unsettling to tell.

Sasuke swallows and nods his head a few times. "Listen, I know it's hard to believe me." He pauses. "I honestly am sorry, and hope…"

Naruto juts his chin out. "It seriously is 'hard to believe'." His arm snakes protectively around Gaara's waist, causing the redhead to glance down momentarily. "You said some pretty nasty things. Repeatedly."

There was a hint in the dobe's tone that got Sasuke spirits up the tiniest bit. "But…?"

"But," Naruto continues, "I don't kick a man when he's down; or in a wheelchair. You're a real prick, Sasuke, but you've always been my friend. And since you're utterly orphaned at the moment, I'd feel guilty if I decided to stop being your friend now. So… I think I can forgive you… after you make it up to me. A lot."

His spirits deflate again. "How am I supposed to do that…?"

"Well," Ino says, "You can start by telling everyone your _hilarious _schemes tomorrow after the party."

"What about right now?"

Sakura grins. It was her turn. "Now? Now you can stop being a prick and act like the Sasuke we used to know as kids and have fun with us."

"Yosh! The flame of friendship burns once more!" Lee cheers. "Let's count the New Year down; it's nearly time!"

Sasuke released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He could deal with this… he really could. Nothing weighed on his shoulders more than his guilt, and if he would lift it eventually, then he knew things could be okay. It'd be a struggle, trying to let go of Naruto completely and 'stop being a prick', but he could do it. In due time. Sasuke merely had to relocate his old self from when the world and his brother hadn't corrupted him. That'll take a while. It'd be easier if he had Naruto… "No, no, I'm trying to stop that way of thinking," he reminds himself in a hushed whisper. Luckily, he went unheard.

"Hina, wake up. It's almost the new year," Kiba says in a sweet voice. He nudges Hinata's shoulder and brushes back some of her bangs from her face.

"Hmm…?" she questions with a hum-yawn. "Is it the New Year?"

"Almost," he grins, one canine tooth being exposed to her.

They turned on the television screen and watched as fireworks were lit, preparing to send off.

"Seven…" Sasuke mutters.

Lee pumps his fist into the air. "Six!"

"Five," Shino, Shikamaru and Chouji say carelessly.

"Four…" Ino, Sakura, and Temari chant in unison.

"Three!" Kiba and Hinata breathe in sharply with excitement.

"Two," Neji and TenTen seem to sing.

"…One." Naruto and Gaara finish, the hurricane grasping his earthquake's hand and squeezing it.

The fireworks fly into the sky on the TV and burst into a dancing array of color, sparks trialing down like golden pixie dust.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the parents scream as they come behind their children in the doorway of the basement and shoot open four bottles of champagne. The teens jump at the sound, promptly giggling their heads off.

"Now all you brats better get to bed!" their principal, Tsunade says jokingly.

"Not on your life, old woman!" Sakura retorts to her grandmother.

Tsunade grins wickedly. "What old woman has breasts as nice as mine, little missy?"

Cue more laughter and a perverted white-haired boyfriend behind said 'old woman' holding up twitching hands that ached to take the invite hidden within the rhetorical remark.

Taking their alcoholic beverages upstairs, the adults disappeared to take pleasure in the aftermath of the early morning.

In the meantime, the teenagers did the same… only in a more hyper manner. For instance:

"Ne, Gaara…" Naruto hinted seductively. Over half the group was too preoccupied to notice the way the blonde was nudging the smaller boy next to him.

"Hn?"

A foxy grin spread over his lips and concealed his teeth. "We can go be alone for a little while, you know… everyone else is busy, and I know how much you dislike crowds, so why don't I show you my room?"

A faint flush brushed over Gaara's cheeks. "What are you hinting at…?"

"Nothing much… I just wanna kiss you," Naruto says with a flush of his own. He bats his eye lashes like a girl. "Please?"

Gaara sighs, unable to resist. Naruto takes the sigh as the comply it is and drags the redhead upstairs.

Sasuke was trying his best to smile and laugh with the others, but he couldn't help the wave of nauseous jealousy that washed over him when he saw the couple leave the room and head up the stairs. Still, he somehow succeeded to distract himself and enjoy the time he had with his long-lost friends around him. Yet, little did Sasuke know, when he returned home he was in for a very detrimental benefit awaiting him.

For now, however, the adults didn't bother to notice the two boys fleeing to Naruto's room. Once inside, the blonde didn't hesitate to acquire the essence that was Gaara; cinnamint gum, Dr. Pepsi (the name for the soda concoction), warm vanilla and underlying traces of blood all wrapped into one dreg of saliva. Why it was so delicious Naruto had no idea.

Nor did Gaara understand why Naruto's Sunny D, ramen, fire and wood taste was so fetching. It was an odd combination and strangely warm and bright, yet soothing. His own essence, Gaara could tell, was much duller and spicier in a less festive manner, but he knew Naruto didn't mind. He obviously enjoyed it, always slipping his tongue in as quickly as he could and prying Gaara's normally closed jaw open to new lengths. And the way he knotted his calloused fingers in Gaara's hair… it was pleasurable and vaguely painful.

"Gaara…" Naruto whispered against the hollow of Gaara's ear. He could feel a shudder run down the redhead's spine. A wave of crawling goosebumps, like so many times before they were together, coursed down Naruto's flesh. He barely paid attention.

"Yes?" Resshin replies softly.

"…Never mind, I forgot what I was going to say," he breathes against Gaara's neck. Then he laid a kiss over the moist heat he left from his breath. Really, he had wanted to say, 'I love you so much' or 'I love you more than you'll know' or 'Happy New Year' and other mushy things. Part of him was tempted to give Gaara the class ring this very second; but, of 'course, he remembered multiple facts at once and stopped himself. Gaara probably wouldn't like any of that. He probably just wanted to be kissed.

So Naruto completed that task; ravishing the contact-deprived teen with wet, warm kisses all along his milky collar bone and up his neck to his ear, even stopping to suck on his Adam's apple, a sure weakness for nearly any male.

And, to Shippuuden's surprise, he earned a content moan from Gaara. It was a gentle one that said 'Naruto' in a barely audible mumble.

The blonde could cry with how happy this holiday was making him. And, hidden under his mask, Gaara felt the same.

o0o0o0o0o

Daylight came about rather quickly. It rose from the sky and blinded everyone's eyes in what felt like a matter of minutes after falling asleep. Crust-caked eyes opened slowly and everyone came into full awareness after a good potty break and a splash of _hellowakeup!_ water on their faces.

Sasuke was one of the first awake, although not the first to get up. The wheelchair restricted him that way.

Gaara, however, had been awake the entire night; kudos to his caffeine buzz. He had watched Naruto sleep beside him, finally conking out around 5:00.

Slowly… groggily… people began to travel home. Sasuke being one of the first.

As soon as he pulled into his driveway, he knew something was wrong; another car was parked near his driveway, too close for comfort. And a beat-up one if that.

Cautiously, for now he was on high alert, Sasuke ascends the ramp he had put in for his wheelchair and unlocks his front door. He rolls into the family room and feels his lungs give out in his chest as air sputters through his lips.

"Hello, little brother. How're you?"

Itachi had broken out of jail. And he was sitting like he used to always sit, right in the corner chair near the fireplace. There was even a book lying in his palms: _The Complete Volume of the Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales._

Not batting an eyelash, the raven-haired teen utters three words, each framed with malice: "Get out. _Now._"

* * *

**A/N: wow, i've never done footnotes before. weird… 0-o;;**

**1) phrase courtesy of CeruleanRipTide! – Told you I liked it and might have to use it. BUT YOU STILL CAN'T STEAL GAARACASM! MWAHAHA! ...kidding, just kidding. If you like it, you can use it, hun. In fact… EVERYONE CAN USE IT! I want 'Gaaracasm' to become a new internet joke thing! Spread it around to every website you can, like youtube and DeviantART! Just credit this story or me for it and you're golden. :3**

**2) chapter 23, ****A Date to Remember – "**Her **(meaning Sakura's) **arguments were always flawless. Like Tsunade, only less pushy. Makes sense that they're grandmother and granddaughter**." – I related them because of the whole teacher-pupil thing between them in the anime/manga. Plus, you have to admit: they **_**are**_** a lot alike! XD**

…**this chapter is 8,108 words and 20 pages long (in Times New Roman, size 12 font) on Word. UUUHHHHNNNNNGGGGGG!! DX  
****the next chapter is partly completed since i had a couple days to finish it before i got my internet back. so be happy. :D**

**P.S. OMG! my statistics are so friggin' high! OVER 17,300 HITS?! and 81 alerts?! and better yet, 67 favs?! plus 4 C2s?! YOU GUYS SPOIL ME. -hearts-  
****-sniff- it's like… a miracle or something… -sniff-**


	36. Chapter 35: Troublemaker or Breaker?

Chapter 35: Troublemaker or Troublebreaker?

"Get out," Sasuke stressed viciously. "_Now_."

Itachi stands, a soft expression overtaking his face. "No, Sasuke. You have to hear me out."

"I don't have to listen to anything you say. What's there to hear?" Sasuke grunts. There a pause as he turns slightly. "You're nothing but a _murderer_," he glowers.

Itachi steps closer, and Sasuke shrinks back, promptly running his wheelchair into a wall. He cursed at it, and when his eyes returned to his brother's, the older man thumped his forhead with two fingers.

"What the hell was that for?!" he snaps. The motion he remembers well; whenever Itachi had no time for him growing up, he'd merely give his brother a tap on the forhead and tell him he was sorry. This moment was no different.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I didn't do it because I wanted to; I was _ordered_ to. Think of it as a sort of admittance… only you're already part of the gang." Itachi tells his younger sibling.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow, the vague description ringing a bell. "Elaborate; maybe I can listen a little…" His older brother steps back, and he wheels his chair to the kitchen for a drink. "You have five minutes. If you don't explain yourself thouroughly by then, I'm calling the police."

The older Uchiha takes a deep breath and exhales it yoga-style. Then: "Didn't the ANBU give you a mission as if you were a member already, and yet they said it wasn't official until you did something unspeakable you would never agree to?"

Multiple bells were ringing now. "Yes, and…?" he pushes with a stern tone. Sasuke takes a gulp of water and faces Itachi with a distantly curious look.

"In my case," Itachi says calmly, "I had to kill my entire family. Apparently, we Uchihas are considered dangerous to both the ANBU and the Akatsuki. So to prove my loyalty and to help annihilate a huge threat, I later discovered as their reasoning, I was to murder the people I've lived with since birth. But you know, Sasuke, I didn't feel anything while I did it… I was numb. In a trance. It was like second nature to me, as if I've done it before. I confess, though: when it came down to you, my baby brother, I couldn't complete my task. Every time I thought about it, it hurt me. I've never been close to anyone in my life except you. Somehow, I feel like I have to protect you and teach you necessary life lessons. And yet I've failed, haven't I? You didn't become what I wanted you to be: a perfect grad student of Sound Academy and in a gang like myself. No, instead you became an obsessive, selfish runt of the litter who doesn't think before he acts." He shakes his head. Then, a rare, closed-lip smile graces his features. "But I think we can fix that, can't we?"

He'll admit Itachi's words struck a cord. A deep, thick cord. And rendered him motionless, but not speechless. "We… can," Sasuke mumbles at a slug's pace. "But in due time," he adds harshly.

Itachi enters the kitchen and lays a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. The teen is tempted to flinch away; he doesn't, however. Instead, he slumps under the touch. The prison-escapee speaks: "You recognize your mistakes, don't you?" A nod from the teen. "I recognize mine, too. And I have faith that we can get through it together."

"It'll take a lot for you to build your trust with me again," Sasuke says coldly as he shrugs the hand off; it's been there long enough. Then his tone shifts. "Still… I think we can. We have a lot of repenting to do towards a lot of people. And, somehow, we have to keep your whereabouts a secret, or else the cops will come after you."

"I'm aware of that," Itachi agrees. One corner of his mouth lifts into a smile. "But we're Uchihas… our combined brains are clever enough to maneuver around some lame police men."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right about that." His face was a blank slate, his eyes cast away, though his tone was supportive.

"You're reluctant; I understand. But if you can, little brother, remember one thing: if no one else, I care about you."

"You sure show it in odd ways," Sasuke mutters. He begins to roll towards his room.

Itachi calls after him: "Have any New Year Resolutions?"

Sasuke stops. "I do: I resolute to move on."

"I'll toast to that," Itachi replies, raising a glass he had on the end table beside his reading chair. He takes a sip of the beverage. "I'll move on as well. Technically in a different way, but details don't matter."

Sasuke didn't catch the sentences following 'I'll toast to that', nor did he care what they were. He went to his room and shut the door ruthlessly. He was exhausted… So, naturally, he abandoned his wheelchair and fell asleep on his bed, his bullet wounds aching dully.

o0o0o0o0o

Deidara grunted as he sewed himself. "I should have died," he whispers mournfully. "Like Kisame, I should be lying stone-cold dead in the dirt, un." He sucks in breath through clenched teeth as he tightens the stitches on his missing arm. "But no, I just _had_ to live, un! By some default I'm left standing." He ties a knot in the thread and bites the end since he lacked scissors. "Un. That is _so_ unfair."

He had lain unconscious for hours, shivering in the cold. Until someone – he guessed Tobi – found him before the cops did and dragged him away to the Akatsuki headquarters. Tobi had offered to heal him, but Deidara had refused. 'I'll do it myself, un!' he had barked. 'But Tobi is a great doctor!' the masked man had replied. 'Fuck off, idiot!' had been the retort by the half-dead blonde.

"I'll get my revenge for sure," Deidara mutters between grinding teeth. He shoves a few pain killers into his mouth. He mumbles a few words, swallowing one at a time as he paused his speech. "It's no longer…(gulp) the Sabaku boy I'm after, un. No… (gulp) I must target the Uchiha…(gulp) He's the one who left me, an artist, with a missing limb. (gulp) Fucking asshole, un," he grumbles. All his pills were taken now, so he goes into a full-blown rant. "I'll kill him. And his escaped brother while I'm at it, un; two for two! No fucking Uchiha will escape me…" His line of thought changes. "Van Gough lost his ear for his art; how ironic that I ended up doing the same with my arm."

Then he laughs bitterly, if not _insanely_, as the pain meds kick in and drive him into hysterics.

"Tobi!" he barks, his face washed pale and his strength running low.

Madara appears, a smile on his face underneath his mask. He lays on his false identity with ease. "Yes, sempai?"

"Get me some water. And some red meat; I need to get my blood up to par, un."

"Of 'course, sempai! Tobi always does as he's told! But, ne, sempai… may I ask who did that to you?"

Deidara smiles with half-lidded eyes due to the drugs; it appears sinister. "Saucegay," he chortles, using Tobi's favorite name for the raven-haired boy.

His swirled dark orange mask seems to shimmer for a second. "Oh," he says happily, "Oh… what fun_ that_ mission will be! But… does Master Pein know about your plans?"

"Does Pein know?" the self-proclaimed artist repeats. He shrugs sloppily. "Dunno. Maybe, un. He seems to know everything without having to be told. But what ever, un. I'll do what I please. I just want to die with some dignity, un. I should **already** be dead, but who's counting?"

"Who's counting indeed…?" Madara agrees after he nods and turns out of the room. "Surely not Tobi…"

This time, however, he wasn't speaking in third person.

o0o0o0o0o

A couple days pass. Kyuubi and Naruto are enjoying their last day of winter vacation, but there was something that was bugging the middle-aged man. So, before school began again the next day, he dared to bring up a topic he knew Naruto wouldn't be very comfortable with.

"Hey, Naruto… correct me if I'm wrong, but I noticed you and your old enemy were getting pretty cozy New Year's Eve night," Kyuubi confronts the blonde in the afternoon.

"Were we?" Naruto says to avoid the accusation. He sweats and glances around. _Does Dad know about our little make-out session? I thought we were pretty secretive about it…_

Kyuubi simultaneously crosses his arms and legs where he sat. He lifts a russet-orange eyebrow. "Is there something you wish to tell me?" he prods, his brown eyes flashing that strange crimson.

"Uh… um…" Naruto panics. To steady himself, he takes a seat across from his adoptive father. "Look, I was gonna tell you, just not right off the bat, and… er… well…"

Kyuubi sighs and unfolds his arms, although his legs remained crossed. "You're seeing him, aren't you?"

Naruto makes a face. "Yes...?" It sounded more like a question that the definite statement the blonde was attempting.

The businessman shakes his head. "And here I thought I raised you right…"

"You did raise me right!" Naruto retorts. "I just _happened _to fall for a guy instead of a girl; it's not a crime!"

A tiny silence drifts between them. Then Kyuubi grins widely. Naruto blinks, completely taken aback by the smile. "Oh, kit, I'm just messing with you," he says lightly. "I suspected it a while ago, back when you had that first 'date' to meet your e-mail buddy in person. I knew it was a guy, and by the way you acted, I could tell you liked him. Besides, you forced me to a funeral in his favor for goodness' sake!" He pauses to uncross his legs and lean forward some. "…You made your crush a bit too obvious. If you didn't want me to figure it out so soon, you should've hid yourself better, you closet gay!"

"I'm **not** gay!" Naruto says with burning cheeks. "Man, must I explain this to everyone? It just _happened_, okay? I really couldn't care less if Gaara was a girl or a guy; he could be anyone with the same personality and lonely past with similar looks and I'd like 'em. _And_," he emphasizes to prove his point, "I'm still attracted to girls plenty, so –"

"You're considered bisexual, then?" Kyuubi smirks as he finishes the sentence.

"No, more like…" He thought for a minute. Sakura didn't have a name for his special orientation case, either. But maybe he did. "…I'm straight with exceptions."

"Exceptions?" Kyuubi echoes, amused.

"Yup, exceptions. Gaara is my exception to being otherwise straight. 'Cause I thought I had no preference between genders, but let's face it, Dad: girls are hot."

Kyuubi is thrown into another bout of laughter. "Indeed they are…" he agrees. He stands and hauls Naruto to his feet to give him a hug. "Hear me now and believe me later: I don't care who you're with, as long as you're happy. Girl, boy, transvestite, or 'morphodite. Anyone human is fine with me, but if you bring home an animal I might be a tad concerned."

Naruto grins, both out of relief and the dry humor that is the older man's custom. "Thanks, Kyuubi."

He pulls out of the embrace and smirks mischievously at his adopted son. "Just know one thing: if I see you unable to walk one morning, I'll be having a _serious talk_ with your boyfriend."

Naruto's eyes widen and he tints a lovely, much darker shade of red than before. "Oh n-no, s-sir, I-I mean… uh… we're not r-ready forth-that kind of st-stuff yet, y'know?!" And he cracks up with breathy, nervous laughter, his nails wildly scrubbing the inside of his jean pockets against his thigh.

The fox-like man chuckles heartily. "I jest, boy, I jest."

"Heh… heh, heh… _good_." Naruto says airily, coming off his streak of embarrassed high-pitched chuckles.

"Now I gotta ask: does Shu know?"

Naruto shakes his head unsurely. "No… Gaara didn't tell him yet, at least not to my knowledge. But Temari and Kankurou know about our, um… 'relationship status'."

"Would Gaara mind if I told his uncle?"

The blonde shakes his head surely this time. He even makes the effort to out up a partial smile. "Nah," he says listlessly, his hand tipping downward in the air. "I think he'll see it as you saving him unneeded conversation."

Kyuubi hoists both his eyebrows. "Well, in that case, I'll give my friend a call this instant."

"You do that," Naruto says. "In the meantime, Gaara's birthday is in thirteen days, so I gotta start planning!"

o0o0o0o0o

School came around again, along with the semester class changes. Chemistry was a semester-only class, but luckily for Naruto, he had a new science class to do, with the same teacher… and the same table partner. He also gained Gaara in his new gym period, along with Lee and Hinata in his lunch period; although he lost Chouji at his lunch table. Funny, too, how Sasuke seemed to up and disappear from his classes, including lunch. Maybe it was for the best. And, coincidentally, Sai wasn't in his new art class (computer graphics). But that made sense; Sai was more of a pen-and-ink artist and a painter than a computer person when it came to art.

By the time half the day was gone and lunch was his current class, Naruto was mentally drained. "Can I magically be a senior and nearly done with school?" he moans.

"Aw, but all the adults say half the fun in life comes from these high school years, Naru," Sakura reminds him. "You don't want to rush greatness, do you?"

All she gets in response is the sound of a skull hitting the table. Namely a skull with a blonde mop of hair on top.

Lee shakes his sub sandwich at Naruto's form. "Sakura has a point, Naruto! You must fight through the bad times and enjoy the good times while in high school. It's part of the trials and joys of youth!"

"I **am** enjoying the good times," Naruto contradicts as he raises his head. "It's the homework and projects and teachers and daily rumors that I hate dealing with. Oh, and adapting to a new schedule every semester; that sucks, too."

"At least you have Gaara in more than one class this time around," Kiba remarks carelessly around a bite of pickle; looks like Chouji finally paid him back from that day in the beginning of the year when the Faceless-and-Nameless partners were first assigned.

"That's true," Naruto says thoughtfully as he sips his water bottle. He was grinning, too, and he didn't even know it. He frowns suddenly. "But those rumors I said I hated? Some are getting started about me and him. It getting on my nerves."

"Speaking of Gaara, how have you two been getting along?" Hinata asks lowly and sweetly. She snuggles closer to Kiba on the bench

Naruto leans back and takes a bite of pizza. He shrugs. "Pretty good for, you know, two awkward teen boys." Then he laughs.

Sakura nudges him. "You said you told your dad about it already, right? And he took it well?"

Shippuuden nods. "Yeah, but Shukaku didn't take it as well. He didn't see it coming like my dad had," he snickers. "He wasn't angry or anything, just totally flabbergasted and confused. It was hilarious, hearing him sputter over the phone; Dad was close by and Shukaku was so loud that I could hear him perfectly. It was pretty entertaining." He doesn't wipe the smirk from his face after saying that.

Half the group around him roars with laughter with the exception of Hinata, who merely smiles. Then Shikamaru announces: "Guys, I think when I'm outta high school, I'm going to propose to Temari. What do you reckon her uncle will do then?"

Nearly everyone gasps. Naruto is the first to grin. "You're gonna propose?! Dude, I didn't know things were that serious between you two! You're only been dating for a few months now; are you sure you want to commit to something like that?"

Shikamaru moves his head up and down austerely. "I've thought it through since Christmas; and I figure things won't change for the worst any time soon. So once I'm out of high school, I might as well. She's getting older and it won't be long before she's too busy to marry; I better do it soon."

"Wow, Shikamaru… and here I thought she'd do the proposing since you're such a lazy ass." Kiba smirks.

"Lazy, yes," Shikamaru agrees. "But I'm not an 'ass'. Which means I won't leave her hanging. Plus, I'm logical about things and like to plan for the future as much as possible," he points out.

Everyone is nodding as this point. Suddenly, Naruto is reminded of something by Shikamaru's words and bursts forth: "You guys have to help me plan Gaara's surprise birthday party!"

Lee's face seems to light up. "Ooh! I love planning parties! And anything for Gaara, since he's part of our great circle of friends now."

The blonde claps his hand over Lee's shoulder. "Thanks for the support, man." He turns to everyone else. "What about you guys? You gonna help me plan this shindig or not?"

"Planning parties is troublesome…" Shikamaru sighs.

"Then how are you supposed to plan a _wedding_?" Kiba teases rhetorically.

But Shikamaru answers anyhow. "I'll let Temari do it; I'll just pick and choose what to give my opinion on if she asks me."

Sakura shakes her head at him; he really didn't understand the dynamics of women, did he? She's surprised Shika has a girlfriend. Then again, the pinkette met Temari, so she knows how tolerant the Sabaku sibling is with people, namely guys like Shikamaru Nara. To Naruto, she says: "Of 'course I'm in; you know I love planning stuff. Ino, too; I'll tell her about it after school today if you want."

"That'd be great, Sakura. Thanks!"

"Any time."

"Naruto, do you know what you're going to get him?" Hinata asks gently.

"Sure do; want to see it?" the blonde replies excitedly.

"You have it on you right now?"

"Actually, I'm wearing it," Naruto replies, and holds up his left hand. A class ring was donned on his little finger. "It'll fit him better than me, anyway; his fingers are so slim compared to mine."

Sakura cocks her head. "Isn't that Kyuubi's class ring, Naruto?"

"Mhm."

Hinata stares at it in awe. "You're going to… ask him to go steady?"

Naruto flushes minutely and drops his hand to his side. "Something like that," he says lamely while picking at his food.

"You like him that much?" Kiba asks. He's frowning, but it wasn't mocking or mean. He was genuinely puzzled, since he knew he himself could never be remotely gay. At the same time, the Inuzuka spawn was thinking of how he might do something similar for Hinata…

"Maybe I should get him something else…"

"No way, Naruto. I think it's totally sweet! You have to do it," Sakura encourages. "If you don't, I might have to hurt you."

"Threat acknowledged," the blonde grimaces.

Lee thinks for a minute. "I wonder what Gaara will say…"

"Me too," Naruto sighs. "What if he gets mad at me or something? Or cries? Or something else weird? I never know what he'll do, since he hardly shows much emotion unless we're alone."

"Alone doing_ what_?" Kiba says, cracking up.

Sakura smacks him. "Not like that, you idiot!"

"Ah! Sakura, please don't hit Kiba…" Hinata says frantically.

"Oops. Sorry, Hinata."

Naruto shrugs to hide his blushing reaction to the thoughts Kiba just placed into his mind. "Anyway, should his party have a theme? Or be somewhere special?"

"Ooh! You should host it at the ski lodge. We can ski; it's wintry _and_ fun!" Lee suggests with gusto. He provides a thumbs-up sign and a shining smile.

"Great idea, Lee!" Sakura agrees with a clap of her hands. Her navy blue nails catch in the light. "What do you think, Naruto? Because I think we can rent out one of the cabins and invite a bunch of people, make hot cocoa and drink it by the fire, and oh! Maybe sled along with the skiing…"

Naruto grins broadly and nods. "Sounds perfect to me."

"So it's settled, then?" Lee asks the group.

Everyone gives their consent, and all that was left were the details of a date, a voluntary parent chaperone, and an invite list.

o0o0o0o0o

When Deidara came to, his arm was numb and prickling, and his eyes felt as though they were glued closed. He coughed roughly. "Sasori…" he murmurs idly. It all began with vengeance for his partner, and now look where it got him.

"You really shouldn't dwell on what can't be changed," Pein hisses from the dark of the room. He steps into the light and looks his subordinate over. "You got yourself banged up pretty bad. You're practically useless to me now."

The blonde scowls and sits up, quickly wrapping a string around his hair with one hand in an attempt to make a ponytail. It ends up being loose and sloppy. "Then why don't you dispose of me, un?"

"Because after speaking with Tobi, I have found reason to keep you around," Pein retorts as he scratches around one of his nose piercings.

"Tobi?" Deidara scoffs. "What would he have to say? He's not at all intelligent, un."

"That's none of your concern," the Akatsuki leader replies. He turns on his heel and paces parallel to Deidara. "Now, you'll be working with him and Konan to –"

"Konan?! But I hate that blue-haired bitch, un!"

Pein shoots him a glare. "You'll work with her and like it. Now then, you'll be working with them to invade the Uchiha home next week and –"

"So soon?"

"STOP INTURRUPTING!" Pein barks. "You'll invade their home and slaughter them in their sleep if possible. Swift and clean. Unless Itachi is awake… if he is, it might get messy. So I thought we might intercept something of theirs, like food or water, and drug it to be sure they won't be conscious when you three go in for the kill."

Deidara grunts to himself and nods his head. "Fine, un."

"Good. Now, I'll leave you be. In the meantime, try and think of how you're going to dump the bodies. We can't have the police snooping about when you're through like we have recently from your mistake at the abandoned restaurant."

Deidara makes a face behind his leaders back in disgust. That man truly was evil, no doubt about it. Him and his schemes… him and his kills… him and his path of destruction… it made Deidara sick sometimes. And jealous; why can't he rule the way Pein does?

"I truly hate you, un," Deidara huffs once Pein is gone. "Master Pein-in-my-ass."

o0o0o0o0o

_To:_

_From:_

_**Subject:**__ I was thinking…_

_Resshin,_

_Hey, I was thinking… next weekend, the day after your birthday, do you want to go to the ski lodge a couple towns away and hang out for the weekend? Kyuubi was going to take me there, and I asked if I could bring you, and he said that it wouldn't be a problem. We'd be renting a cabin, number six, and probably ski and sled down the small of the two hills. Sound like fun?_

_- Shippuuden_

_P.S. I'm going to make you read some poetry to me while we're there, so be prepared. :)_

Naruto grinned at the e-mail. Gaara had no idea what was in store for him on the trip… but he hopes that his boyfriend will like it. It is for his eighteenth birthday, after all; a giant milestone in life, a step closer to becoming a man and whatnot.

As far as participants go, they didn't want too many people so not to crowd Gaara. Plus, the redhead doesn't like that many people… So Naruto was thinking of not inviting Sasuke or Shino or Neji or TenTen, although he'd have to invite Chouji or else Shikamaru would be upset. And obviously he was going to try and get Temari and Kankurou away from college for the weekend. Kiba and Hinata and Lee were going to all be there, along with Ino and Sakura, and for chaperones, Kyuubi offered and Shukaku _insisted_. And threatened. 'If I see my nephew limping and in a haze after the weekend from lack of parental guidance, I'm coming after you, Uzumaki!' the sandy-colored man had told him. 'Why the hell does everyone think we're going to have sex?!' had been the answer.

Shaking his head, Shippuuden leaned back in his desk chair and hit 'send'. He proceeded to play music from iTunes and wrap up the bit of homework he didn't get a chance to finish in study hall. 'Colors' by Crossfade played, a recent favorite song of his.

Naruto began to chew on the end of his pencil as his stared blankly at his math homework. Oh, how he despised math and numbers. They made his brain hurt. "Ashley has to cover the span of a 354ft by 246ft wall with a mural that's split into eight equal parts. If she wants to calculate the area of three-eights of the mural that is her duty to paint, what would her formula be? What will the entire mural be in feet? In meters? What about her portion (in feet)? And in meters? …OI VEY, why do they put these kind of questions in here?! I don't want to do all that! It's basically writing out five different answers, for crying out loud…"

"I hear a struggling student in there," Kyuubi calls from down the hall. "Want me to come in there and help you with that problem?"

Naruto sighs. "No, it's fine," he replies. "I can do it by myself. I just don't want to do it at all,_ that's_ the real problem."

He can hear Kyuubi chuckling at this point. He sighs again and continues chewing and calculating. Pretty soon, his homework is complete and he's left with some free time. He turns back to his computer, checking his e-mail ad changing the song.

In his inbox, he finds this:

_To:_

_From:_

_**Subject:**__ Re: I was thinking…_

_My dear Shippuuden,_

_I would love to accompany you to the ski lodge. I've never been there before myself, but I know of it. Which means you may have to teach me how to ski. I'm sure you won't mind that; it'd be like paying me back for teaching you to properly shoot a cue ball. _(Naruto could picture a small smirk on Gaara's face at this point.)

_I already spoke to my uncle about it, since he's technically my guardian at the moment, or until I turn eighteen. Speaking of which… I have a feeling this ski lodge thing is no coincidence. You probably are using the trip as a present to me. I appreciate it, since I never had much on my birthday besides regret and anger. So… thank you._

_Sincerely,_

_Resshin_

_P.S. I'll be sure to have some poetry ready for you to hear. _

Naruto smiles at he "my" in front of "dear Shippuuden"; an add-on that was never there in the past. It made a slight warm feeling coat his heart. Gaara was really showing his true colors, and he appeared to be quite a bright person under his grey exterior. It was good to know that the blonde was cracking open the clamshell that was Gaara Sabaku. He already seems to have succeeded in worming his way into the other boy's heart… permanently.

The hurricane twirls the class ring around his pinky. "He'll love my gift, I just know it. And I bet he'll accept it, too… maybe even hug me for it. That'd be nice," he fantasizes.

Yet, will his fantasy play out how he wants it to?

* * *

**A/N: THIS is what i meant by an extra plot thingy that could possible drag ont he story: Deidara being alive. my reasoning for even doign it (besides your guy's support. :3 ) : for a moment in the anime/manga we thoguth we was dead when he blew up. but then we found out it was a giant clay thingy and really he was alive. DAMN. so he'll die like he does late in the manga, but it'll take a bit longer. and i also will reveal Tobi/Madara's true ambitions. but don't worry, it won't take too long.**

**literally, the events are coming to a close very soon. all i have left is the wrap-up of Deidara and Tobi, the closing of Sasuke and Itachi, the ski lodge/Gaara's birthday party, and the epilogue. then... TEH SMUTTEH SEEKWEL. HO YUS. (hearts)**

**thanks for all the reviews so far you guys. keep 'em coming! i wan tto go to 500 and over by the time this is done! w00t!**


	37. Chapter 36: To Dance Among The Stars

**A/N: here's 6,001 words of Detrimental Benefit goodness!**

**me: Vegeta, what does the stats say about the reviews for this story?  
Vegeta: it's... it's... HALF A THOUSAAAND!  
me: what, half a thousand?! that's... LUDACRIS! ...hmm, but what about the hits?  
Vegeta: THEY'RE OVER NINETEEN THOUSAAAND!  
me: whoaholyhell! does that mean they'll be over 20,000 soon?  
Vegeta: yeah, sure, whatever. ****...can i leave now?  
me: huh? oh... yes, that's all. you can go.  
Vegeta: finally! -storms off-**

**P.S. in the words of Abbie (Kuma In Pink): "EMO HERO SASUKE!" **

* * *

Chapter 36: To Dance Among The Stars

The ironic thing about life is that sometimes, the way things start in a day, a week, a month or a year – are fabulous, never better, and seem to look up. And then events take a turn for the worst and grow sour.

Or the polar opposite occurs: it begins bitter, sick, and depressing… and then, by the grace of God, things become hopeful and good again. This is why life is so unpredictable, and why you must live moment to moment.

Yet there are still fools who await eagerly for one moment or day or week in the future. Namely high school students, who await homecoming, winter break, spring break, prom, and graduation. Or, more commonly, the end of the day or the weekend.

Case in point: Naruto Uzumaki. He was currently tapping away at the tile beneath his foot with his shoe as he waited for the bell to ring. He wanted to get to the weekend as soon as possible; since the weekend brought snow, friends, fun, and perhaps romance.

Agonizingly, the digital clock on his teacher's desk churned out the seconds silently behind the framework. You could almost see them tick away, yet you couldn't. The green numbers seemed to fizzle and shake with the way he stared at them so profoundly, and then…

"YES!" Naruto whispers sharply as he cheered inside his head at the number change. The bell rings and students begin flooding out into the hallways.

Satisfied with the end of Friday's school day, Naruto slides his backpack into place and walks towards the door.

Yet Asuma (now moved to his last class of the day for the semester) stops him. "Hold on a minute, Uzumaki."

The blonde freezes in place. He turns slowly. "Huh…?"

Asuma motions for the teen to come to his desk. Naruto follows the finger mindlessly, a frown of confusion on his face. _Am I in trouble…?_ he wonders.

"Yes, Mr. Sarutobi?"

The bearded man smiles dully, a chewed toothpick in his teeth (to get him off the habit of smoking, Naruto guesses). "Are you interested in moving to a higher class, like Youth and Law, Naruto? I've been noticing lately how hard you've been trying in class, and I see that you're a lot more intelligent than you let on."

Yeah, so maybe because of Gaara he's been working harder in school in a means of catching up to the redhead, and perhaps he also noticed his hidden smarts. But moving into Youth and Law? That's a pretty high class! In fact, that's Gaara's class…

Suddenly, Naruto's grinning broadly. "Actually, I'm very interested. How do I get into that class?"

"Stop by your guidance counselor's office today before you leave or tomorrow morning before first period and give him this note from me. He'll change your schedule, and starting tomorrow, you can be in that class."

"It's that simple?" he muses aloud. Then Naruto thinks for a minute. "Wait, isn't Mr. Umino the student guide counselor? Do I meet up with him?"

Asuma shakes his head. "No, he's more of the student shrink. A _guidance_ counselor helps you choose the right classes for what you want to persevere in college. People like Iru– I mean, Mr. Umino, are_ guide_ counselors, whom guide your… _stability_ at school and home. Understand, Uzumaki?"

He honestly didn't. But he pretended to and gave a nod.

He hands Naruto the note and the blonde takes it with a grin. The teacher's smile gets wider as Naruto turns to leave. "Of 'course, I'm going to miss having you in my class…"

Naruto chuckles at the older man's light, teasing tone. Turning back to face him, he retorts, "Nah, I'm sure you'll be glad to be rid of me." He pauses before adding, "Thanks, Mr. Sarutobi."

"I'm here to help," he replies. "It's what teachers do."

Naruto salutes the man and exits the room, heading immediately for the guidance counselor's office. He'll miss his bus, but he can always call and request a ride home from Kyuubi; the man took a 'mental health day' today, using one of his vacation days.

Once he arrived outside the door, he gave a small knock. A man opened it, smiling. "Hello; what can I do for you?"

Naruto walks in and presents the note. "Mr. Sarutobi thinks I should be in Youth and Law instead of History III-2." History III-2 was the 'dumb' class for juniors taking history, year three. III-1 would be the class a rung higher in the academic ladder. And Youth and Law was for advanced juniors and average seniors.

"Really?" inquires the guidance counselor. "Let me see that…" He mad to make sure the note was legit; some students want to change classes after the beginning of the semester so that they could join a friend in some class or another. But no, this isn't the case (entirely); for the note truly was from Asuma. The guidance counselor nods his approval. "Alright, come over here to the computer and we'll have your new schedule made in a jiff."

He typed in Naruto's name and switched some classes around, but then everything was complete, and the printer was making a new copy.

"Here you are, lad," the man says.

Naruto takes the paper and gives a smile in return. "Thanks."

And then he's on his cell phone, walking outside, hoping Kyuubi isn't off doing something else.

o0o0o0o0o

"Oi, Gaara, you all packed and ready to go? We're going to pick you up soon, but if you need more time, I can tell my dad to wait."

Gaara holds the phone in the crook of his shoulder against his right ear as he stuffs a pair of snow pants into his luggage. "No, it's fine…" he grunts as he yanks the stubborn zipper around the perimeter. "I'm ready."

On the other end of the line, Naruto grins. "Good. We're on our way, then. See you soon, Resshin. Oh… and happy birthday!"

The redhead's eyes seem to smile softly. "Goodbye, Shippuuden."

He clicks the phone off and releases a long, winded sigh as he collapses onto his bed. It's going to be strange hanging out with his… _boyfriend _(the word still sounded strange upon his tongue and in his mind)… for an entire weekend at a ski lodge. He didn't even know how to ski. Naruto did, however; apparently, the blonde was much better at wintry sports than summery ones. Aside from swimming, of 'course; Naruto has told him countless times how much he loves to swim. He was going to be teaching Gaara to ski, as they mentioned in an e-mail the other week.

January 19th has never been this much alive. Shukaku was strangely missing, his siblings were away at college, and his father was dead. No one was here to tell him that he killed his mother and uncle and that it was all his fault; no one was here to tell him, 'It's alright, hush now, stop crying'; no one was here to take his anger out on; no one was here at all. Not even the anger… that left, too. The sadness and grim emotions were long gone. All that was left was Naruto's smiling, whisker-like scarred face and bright blue eyes. And hope. Hope was never there before on his birthday. Or happiness; and yet… Gaara had both right now.

What feels like seconds later, there's a honk of a horn outside his window. Curious (although not surprised), Gaara leans up and opens his window to the chilly January air and see's Naruto in an orange vest (Konoha got cold enough to snow, but never stayed very cold), cream long-sleeved shirt, black snow boots and dark denim blue jeans. He's hanging out of the car window and waving his arm around. Then, he jumps out through the window and runs up to look at Gaara. He's beaming the entire time.

"Get your ass down here!" he calls.

"Alright," Gaara replies without raising his voice. He moves away from the window, shaking his head at the blonde's antics. He collects his weekend supplies and thuds down the stairs. Naruto's already at the front door, reaching in and taking things from Gaara's hands. He doesn't protest as the blonde rushes to the car and dumps everything into the trunk. Gaara hops into his boots and slips on his jacket, his eyes focusing on nothing in particular. By the time Naruto gets back, the redhead is locking up his house and closing the door tight. "Let's go," he says.

Naruto waltzes over to the car and opens the backseat door for Gaara, and once he was inside, closed it for him. The poet sends Naruto a look reading, 'who are you, my footman?' and Naruto winks as if to say, 'maybe, if you let me'. Gaara shakes his head and is slightly surprised to find Naruto sitting beside him in back instead of returning to his shotgun seat.

"So," Naruto comments as the car begins moving again. "Eighteen. Feel any different being a whole year older?"

He did. Gaara felt very different than he had a year ago. Less lonely, happier, in love… mostly all thanks to Naruto. It's strange to think of the acquired closeness between him and his siblings and the addition of his father's brother into his home. Another change in his past year is the somewhat recent injuries suffered from Christmastime. His hands were scarred from _that _whole ordeal. Naruto, on the other hand, seemed to be fully healed; his cast was removed last week. To answer the question, he gives a mere shrug. "I suppose."

"That's good," the other replies. He leans back in the car and rests his hands up over his head. "As for me, well, my birthday wasn't too long ago, so I have a while to catch up to you. You're legal now for a lot of things, come to think of it… and hey! Next year is your golden birthday! You should do something extra special then, like… go to the ocean or something."

Kyuubi decides to put in his opinion. He looks into the rearview mirror at the boys. "That sounds like a fabulous idea to me. I'll help pay for it if you want me to."

Gaara shakes his head. "No, I don't think –"

"Thanks, Dad! But you know, maybe we should take him to a foreign country instead… somewhere really cool and historical." Naruto thinks aloud.

"That's not necessary –" Gaara tries again.

"That's an even better idea! Hey, we could combine the two and go on a cruise around a few countries…" Kyuubi suggests.

"We have to do that, now! For Gaara's golden birthday, we're going to go on a cruise –"

"Naruto," Gaara says lowly, his hands in fists.

The blonde blinks and turns to look at him. "What is it?"

"I don't want to do anything extravagant," he tells his hurricane firmly._ Just being with you is enough, _he adds mentally. All Gaara wants is to be happy for however long he can. He doesn't want to think of the day that Naruto will abandon or betray him, which he feels might happen; nothing good lasts very long for him, and he knows it. He doesn't want to think about tomorrow, next month, or next year like Naruto and Kyuubi are proposing; Gaara merely wants to live moment to moment. He's one of the few wise teenagers in the world.

"Oh… well… I guess we could, you know, do something less flashy," he replies lamely. Naruto suddenly feels guilty for inviting so many people to the lodge for Gaara's birthday. What if it's the wrong choice, and Gaara doesn't like it? Will he be uncomfortable? _Great, now I choose to be worried. I should've thought ahead more!_ Naruto thinks. _Well, technically, they won't arrive tonight; they're all waiting until tomorrow, so I have time to cancel… no, I won't cancel on them. They're all looking forward to this, and I think Gaara will enjoy having a party for his birthday after all. Because won't this be his first one?_

Feeling more confident, the blonde places a smile back on his face and glances over at his boyfriend. Gaara is sitting stiffly in his seat, his hands resting on his lap, his face blank and unreadable. His eyes seems to be reflecting on something, but what that 'something' is, Naruto can't tell.

"Hey," Shippuuden says softly. Gaara casts his eyes to the Uzumaki boy, and his hands fall to the car cushion as if they were dead weight. Naruto picks one of the mitts up and races the pink scar running down the middle with his finger. "You're going to have lots of fun this weekend, so why don't you lighten up a teensy bit? I mean… it's your birthday, so you should feel a little happy. And I know your birthdays prior weren't the best, but I'm here now, so forget about them. That was then, this is now. Got it?"

Naruto had been whispering so that Kyuubi couldn't hear him over the music he had begun playing, and the whole time he didn't look at Gaara; he focused solely on the redhead's pale left hand in his tanned right. But now he chooses to look up, and he sees a sort of shine in Gaara's eyes that wasn't there before, as if his eyes were watering. He wouldn't cry, of 'course; like Sasuke said once, 'heaven forbid Gaara Sabaku cries'.

He did say a few words, however. He even went as far as (somewhat) leaning into Naruto. "You're right; thank you," he murmurs.

The blonde slips his right hand from under Gaara's, his tracing ceasing. He brings his arm around the other boy and forces his head to his chest. "This drive might take a while; let's take a nap. It was a long school day."

Gaara doesn't protest; quite the contrary, he's glad Naruto suggested a nap. He was exhausted, and wouldn't mind some silence between them. So he shuts his eyelids and allows Naruto to stroke his hair, which he never knew could be so soothing. Pretty soon, he was dozing peacefully. Naruto followed.

Kyuubi looks into the rearview mirror at the two huddled together, fast asleep. He smirks. "Now I know how Shukaku felt when he came home and they were asleep on the couch," he chuckles to himself. His eyes return to the road. "Only difference is, I know what's really going on, and think it's cute."

An hour and fifteen minutes later, Gaara stirs awake. Slowly, things came into view from his hazy sleep and he found snow falling outside the car window, felt heat blasting from the front of the vehicle, and saw Naruto beginning to drool on his shoulder. After he was fully attentive of his surroundings, he bumped the blonde and heard the other boy snort into awareness.

"Are we there yet?" are his first sleep-slurred words.

Kyuubi's grin is reflected in the rearview mirror. "Just about."

Now that he was awake, Naruto could feel his stiff neck muscles from holding the same angled position for longer than an hour. He sniffs and stretches, letting out his breath steadily. He also realizes exactly how full his bladder is, and how empty his stomach feels. "Good thing we're almost there," he mutters. _'Cause I really have to pee. And eat dinner._

The poet seems to agree with that last spoken statement, and suddenly a small growl is heard, and Naruto laughs at Gaara's embarrassment as he realizes that the redhead agrees with his previous thought as well.

Ten extra minutes drag to seem like thirty. Then Naruto glances out the window and finds the ski lodge in sight. "_Finally_!"

"We're here," Kyuubi says in a chipper tone at the same time.

Gaara looks out the window; he's never seen Kumogakure (Village in the Clouds), which was a city like Konoha and Suna, yet resided practically on a mountain instead of a near-desert or near-forest area. Well, actually, the mountain was more or less in the town's backyard. The ski lodge was located right at the base of the mountain, and all different ski lifts and trails took you to one location of the mountain or another.

Because of the altitude and being farther north than Konoha, being in Kumogakure meant colder weather and heavier snowfall during the winter. Perfect for winter sports.

"It's beautiful here," Gaara comments as they pull into the lodge's parking lot and Kyuubi exits the car to check them in. The two boys wait inside the vehicle where there's heat.

"Yeah, but after living in Konohagakure my whole life, I'm too used to having hardly any snow or cloudy days to want to live here or something. It's pretty to visit, but there are too many clouds and snow here for my liking."

"Well, I could counter that with: since I grew up in Sunagakure, there are too many trees and rain in Konoha for _my_ liking." Gaara retorts smartly.

Naruto laughs. "Wise ass."

"Alright teens," Kyuubi says as he pops back into the driver's seat. "Time to go up to our residence for the weekend."

"And then call in an order for pizza?" Naruto asks hopefully. He hadn't forgotten about his stomach… or bladder. The second he walked in the door, he was going straight for the bathroom.

"Sure thing, son; sure thing."

o0o0o0o0o

"Itachi." Sasuke says with no enthusiasm.

"Yes, little brother?" the other asks. He was wearing his reading glasses (his sight has been going bad lately) and looking at the Friday newspaper.

"I hear a car outside. And since that whole… incident… I don't want to be too reckless. Can you check who it is for me?" He doesn't like asking for help, which is what he's essentially doing. But he figures it's a trust-building thing: if his brother is willing, then he's one step closer to being trusted again. If he isn't willing, then it's the same as the past, and he can't be trusted.

"Alright," Itachi agrees. Looks like he's trustworthy.

Sasuke watches as his brother moves slowly to the front window in the living room and takes a peek between the hanging curtains. So suddenly that Sasuke jumps from being startled by Itachi's crisp words, the escapee says: "Sasuke! Get to your room _right now_!"

"Why?"

"Just do it!" his brother hisses.

The teen frowns but does as he's told. Soon, he hears a knock on the door, and voices. "Candygram for Sasuke Uchiha," says an unrecognizable voice with a clearly fake accent.

"Give up the act, Tobi, I know Deidara's car when I see it."

"You always were too clever for us, Itachi," responds a level voice.

"I see you've dropped your façade as 'Tobi', eh, Madara?"

"You knew it was me the entire time?"

"Even with that rubber mask over your face right now and your usual orange one, I know it's you. You must forget how close we were as children…"

"More like enemies, Itachi. But since you're so smart, you must know what comes next…"

From behind his bedroom door, Sasuke hears grunts and thumping on the floor, like someone lunging at someone else and flailing in the air before catching themselves. A metal object clunks to the floor.

"Nice try, Madara. But I'm too fast for you; these eyes of mine see all, you know that."

The intruder makes a breathless laugh. "And here I thought you were going blind… ouch!"

Sasuke wished he could see what was happening, but he stayed in his room where it was safe. He didn't want to be hospitalized again.

"Now, where did I put my handgun…? Sasuke had it last, I believe…"

"So you're going to shoot me, cousin? Is that it?"

"Perhaps."

"Then do I have a surprise for you… Deidara,** now**!"

Sasuke can hear Itachi gasp and imagines him dodging a blow form someone who appeared out of nowhere. But did Madara say… 'Deidara'? Wasn't he dead? "I shot him with Kisame's gun!" he whispers to himself. "I saw him collapse in a pool of blood…"

"So you lived, eh, Deidara?" his older brother pants. "I should've know a stubborn bastard like you couldn't die."

"On the contrary," Deidara replies, "I am going to die, un. After explaining his entire fake-persona named Tobi and his plans to take over the Akatsuki and ultimately the entire country, he told me about how today was my death day, un. I don't mind it, however; you already see my condition… at this point, I'd rather like to die and get it over with, un. Hell sounds nice, doesn't it, Itachi? I'm sure I'll see you there… along with your partner, Kisame, un."

Itachi curses loud enough for the sound to echo down the hall to Sasuke's ears. "Two against one is hardly fair," he remarks coldly.

"Then why don't you fetch your younger brother? We can fight while the two cripples battle it out," comes a snarky reply from Madara.

Itachi growls. Thinking fast, he lies smoothly: "He isn't home. He's far away from here, on a trip with his friends."

"_Sorry I can't invite you, Sasuke, but, you know… you and Gaara don't like each other, and this is __**his**__ birthday, and you're kinda… um… _incapable_ right now, so a ski trip wouldn't be good for you, right?"_ had been Naruto's exact words when Sasuke (jealously) asked (more like 'snapped') why he couldn't come along this weekend. But now he couldn't care less; this was much more important, and he was glad Itachi knew enough to speak the opposite of what he was doing this lonely weekend.

"Too bad," Deidara huffs out between what sounds like clenched teeth. "I was looking forward to some payback for my arm, un. I was thinking of destroying his other leg –"

Suddenly, a loud whack resounds throughout the Uchiha estate, and Madara sputters out something incomprehensible. Apparently, Itachi had done something to shut Deidara up.

"Now then… Why don't we play around a bit, Madara?"

"You… you just… I never thought…"

"Stop gawking and _face me_!"

Madara seems to regain his grip on things, and roars as his feet fall closer to Itachi. Sasuke wishes even more now to see what's happening.

Or perhaps he could… if he went outside and looked in from the window.

Being quiet, Sasuke opened his window and lifted his body from his wheelchair to slip out. He fell the ground with a terrible thud, and after a bitten-back groan of pain, he army-crawled with his good leg and elbows to the correct side of the house. And then he dragged his useless, cast leg to the bushes and pushed up on his left leg to peer inside the home.

Itachi was wrestling with Madara, knocking down a lamp in the process. His cousin flings out a shank and threatens to stab Itachi. Unfortunately, he succeeds, and blood dribbles onto the carpet, the deep crimson in great contrast with the cream fibers. Sasuke gasps, partially surprised that Itachi got hit, and partially surprised that he cared about the wound.

Through the glass of the window pane he can't hear what Itachi is saying, but he's muttering as he circles Madara, one hand clasping his left ribcage. Madara replies with something, a smirk on his face. The smirk vanishes as soon as Itachi attacks again, and the shank gets knocked from Madara's hands. Then, Itachi picks up the metal object dropped from the beginning: a pair of handcuffs.

He shackles Madara to one of the support beams by skillfully cuffing one wrist and them swinging Madara around to cuff the other on the other side of the pole. Madara now was facing the marble, his cheek pressed hard against the surface. His skin was beat red and angry. He starts yelling all sorts of nasty things, but Itachi shoves a wad of tissues from the tissue box in the room into Madara's mouth, so many (which makes his mouth so dry) that it's nearly impossible to spit them all out.

Itachi reaches for the phone and comes to the window. Sasuke ducks down, but it's too late; Itachi already knew he was there. He knew from the second he heard Sasuke's body fall to the ground outside his own window.

The elder Uchiha sibling opens the window and sticks the phone into the bushes. "Better call the police and get these two out of here," he says listlessly. "I'd do it myself if I wasn't in danger of getting arr–"

He's cut off as someone smacks him in the back of the head. Deidara was awake. "Fucker," the armless blonde whispers heartlessly.

"What the – you bastard!" Sasuke roars. He stands on one leg, the other leaning feebly. He lunges through the window, and somehow tackles Deidara to the ground in his living room; how he made it through the window, he doesn't know. He focuses on tearing those pretty, girly, overly yellow, too-much-like-Naruto strands of hair from the Akatsuki member's head. He knows it's childish and bitch-fight-like to tear at someone's hair, but he already was hurt by not possessing what he truly wanted and getting his limb and crotch mangled by this man to be bothered by those two facts. "IhateyouIhateyouIhateyou!"

He truly does. He despises Deidara with all his heart, more than Gaara, more than his brother, more than Sound Academy, more than the ANBU, more than any speck of hate he's ever held inside him.

When Deidara was screaming and half his hair was on the floor beside his head, Sasuke pins the artist's singular arm to the ground as he reaches for Madara's shank. The tiny knife comes to his fingers with ease, and as Deidara's vocal cords silenced and his eyes widened, Sasuke stabs it in the first vulnerable place he could reach: the blonde's neck.

Deidara sputters and gasps for air like a marathon runner as his face turns ash white and a river of life gushes from the wound.

Horrified at his own actions, Sasuke slinks away from Deidara's body and watched as his brother's eyes open and Deidara's close. Then, Deidara joined the many sinning ranks in hell.

"Itachi…" Sasuke whispers. "I killed him."

Groaning as he forced himself up, Itachi rubs his head and clutches his bleeding side. "Now you're no different than me."

He shakes his head. "No, I am," he says. "I didn't kill someone I liked. I killed an enemy. It's self defense… right?"

Itachi nods. "Right. Whatever you need to tell yourself."

Sasuke hobbles over to the couch and seats himself before he ruined his body any more than it already was. He was supposed to have crutches next week; if he overdid it now, he would still need the wheelchair. He did not fancy that idea…

"Sasuke."

"Hn?"

"Here. Call the police." He hands the teen the discarded phone.

But Sasuke pushes it away. "Not now. Give me a minute."

Itachi hesitates. Then: "Fine."

"…Let's not tell anyone besides the police about this. They'll find out anyway, but not before it's necessary."

"Agreed."

o0o0o0o0o

Dinner came and went and Naruto found himself crashing on the couch in front of the television and fireplace, both of which were going unused. "We should have brought a cake with us."

Gaara comes to sit beside the blonde. "I don't like cake."

"Don't like…?! Why not?"

"Too sweet, especially with all the frosting."

"Oh, that's right; you prefer ice cream, don't you?"

Gaara nods. "And cookies when I was a child."

Naruto winks one eye. "But cookies are also sweet."

"Not if they're made with oatmeal," Gaara counters.

Naruto makes a face. "Oatmeal? Gross!"

Gaara shakes his head at Naruto's stubbornness. "You've probably never had it the right way."

Kyuubi steps into the room. "Had what the right way?" He asks with a knowing smirk. "Don't tell me you're not a virgin after all, Naru-to."

The earthquake watches with amusement as Naruto gradually turns pink. "Not that kind of 'it'! he meant oatmeal."

"Oh…" Kyuubi says, somewhat disappointed. Lately all the sexual innuendo jokes ended with something much funnier. "Well, no, you haven't, really. Breakfast food isn't my forte; things like oatmeal, cream of wheat, and French toast go horribly when I cook them. Eggs are about all I can do, and even then they might get burnt."

Kyuubi moves to the fireplace and gets a few logs from the bin beside the mantle, along with a long metal poker. He held a box of matches in his hands, and newspaper in the crook of his arm.

"What cha doin', Dad?" Naruto asks, already over his embarrassment.

"Oh, getting a fire ready, that's all. Want to help?"

"Nah, not this time," he replies airily. The blue-eyed teen yawns. "I'm too tired to get up. And too full; I'm still digesting, you know."

The business man waves him away and returns to his task. Meanwhile, Gaara is settling down into the couch more and focusing on Naruto's lips. They were slightly ajar, glistening as if they were recently licked, and were the perfect, full shape for what Naruto does best: pouting and kissing.

Naruto feels the gaze and returns it. He smiles. "What're you thinking?"

"Nothing," Gaara replies shortly.

"Hmm. Want to go out for a walk?"

The redhead shrugs, and Naruto takes that as a yes. He stands. "Hey, Dad, we're going to go out for a walk on that trail closest to us. I'll have my cell phone on me."

"Alright," Kyuubi concedes. "I'll be sure to have this fire roaring by the time you get back, and hot cocoa made."

"Thanks!" Shippuuden turns to lend Resshin a hand in standing.

He takes it, and follows the blonde out into the crisp night. The snow had ceased it's falling, and the clouds lingered around the mountain. A relatively full moon lit the way, and soon the two boys were crunching their way through the forest trail on the side of the mountain.

"Reminds you of our walk after Christmas, eh?" Naruto teases.

"A little bit," Gaara agrees.

"There sure are a lot of stars out here… I've never seen so many. Is it the altitude?"

"It is."

"Wouldn't it be cool if we saw a shooting star?" Naruto continues. "Or if we could dance on them. Like a frog hopping lily pad to lily pad…" he drifts off. "Heh, I'm being so stupid. Sorry."

The other merely nods. Not that he agreed with the stupid statement. He didn't know (or maybe he did?) that Naruto could be such an idealist for silly things like dancing on the stars. Morbidly, that phrase could be taken as a synonym for death, but he wasn't about to tell the blonde that. Let him dream if he likes.

Lacing his hands behind his head, Shippuuden ventures, "Are you having a good birthday? 'Cause I want you to enjoy it as much as possible…"

"It's wonderful, Naruto. Don't worry about it."

Yet he was worrying. Everyone was coming tomorrow while Naruto took Gaara skiing. When the two teen boys would walk in through the door, the group would do that 'SURPRISE!' scare. And then, to top it all off, he was going to present his present tomorrow after things settled down. What would Gaara's reactions be to all that? Naruto never thought the first would bug him so much, and he thinks the second will he ecstatic, but…

He shakes his head. Resshin spots this action and asks what's wrong. To cover it up, Naruto scoops a handful of snow from a nearby tree limb and tosses it in Gaara's direction. "Nothing's wrong… Snowball fight!"

Gaara frowns. _How childish,_ he thinks. But somehow, he doesn't mind it. In fact… he wants to strike back. Smirking lightly, Gaara picks up as much snow as his arms can hold and while Naruto is too busy laughing, dumps it over his head.

"Ahh, **cold**!" he squeals.

"Serves you right," Gaara mutters. "Don't throw snow at me again."

"If you say so…" the blonde begins. But finishes with a ball of white flying through the air to hit the redhead.

And so the war began…

Hours later, the two stumbled into the cabin, shivering. "Hey, boys," Kyuubi greets. He frowns and tries not to crack up. "Why are your jeans and hair soaked?"

"W-we h-had a s-snowball fight. A-and I w-won!" Naruto chatters through his teeth.

Aquamarine eyes roll at how excited Naruto is by that fact. Gaara doesn't have that long of time to feel tat way, however; because suddenly Naruto is walking down the hallway, shedding clothes as he goes.

"Naruto! Can't you wait to change clothes until you're actually in your room?" Kyuubi shouts. To himself, he mutters: "You're sending your poor boyfriend into a tizzy."

Indeed he was. Gaara was currently trying to advert his eyes and shake the blood vessels that were daring to rise to his cheeks. Why, he wondered, did Naruto have to have such a wonderful body? He was stocky, but not at all flabby; every bit of him was smooth. You could tell he had muscle even if the muscles themselves weren't visible through his skin like a body builder's. On the other hand, the redhead felt pale in comparison; literally. He wasn't nearly as tanned, and was much thinner. Skinnier legs, waist, arms… he wasn't weak, mind you, for Gaara could grip you so tightly that the life in you could squeeze right out, but he wasn't like Naruto. He used his brains over his brawn.

The reminder of his clammy, cold skin and icy bones, Gaara retreated to his own bedroom and changed into something warm and dry. He'd like a shower to heat his flesh, and would any other time, but he personally had a problem with showering at other places. He'd have to do it eventually, but not tonight.

When he emerged in loose-fitting sweats, Naruto was on the couch in front of the open flames with a mug in his hands. "C'mere, Gaara," he says gently.

Naruto reaches to the end table near him and holds out a mug. "Hot chocolate?" he offers.

The poet nods once. He takes the mug and seats himself, the crackling of the fire filling the empty silence. "Where's Kyuubi?" he asks around a sip of the cocoa. Surprisingly, it wasn't as sweet as he thought it would be; exactly how he likes it.

Naruto shrugs. "It's late, believe it or not. So he went to bed after making our hot chocolate." He smiles mischievously and snuggles closer, ultimately forgetting his worries about tomorrow. Not to mention temporarily losing his mind. "Its almost not your birthday. So do you want your present now, or do you want to wait until tomorrow?"

"Why tomorrow?"

Oops, he nearly gave away the big party secret. Thinking quickly, he responds with: "Do you want it now or not?"

The other boy puzzles over the question. "Present?"

"You didn't think this trip was your only gift, did you?" the hurricane smiles. He tips his head up and looks down at Gaara's eyes. "So how 'bout it?"

The redhead shifts in his seat. You couldn't tell unless you were inside Gaara's head, but he felt suddenly shy. In order to hesitate with his answer, he gulps down some of his drink and shudders comfortably as heat-induced goosebumps rise on his flesh. Slowly, he shakes his head. "I'm too tired. Give it to me tomorrow."

"Okay," Naruto says simply. Out of Gaara's sight he twirls the ring around his pinky finger; it was becoming habit of him to do. He might have to wear a different ring after it's gone just so he can twirl it around. It felt funny against the base of his finger, but nice. "Then you're going to _love_ tomorrow."


	38. Chapter 37: Bolt From The Blue

**A/N: WOW YOU GUYS. OVER 20,000 HITS?! WHAT ARE YOU, INSANELY DEDICATED READERS?! HEHEEHE. I FECK'N LOVE YOU ALL. SO HERE'S A NICE, LONG, JUICY CHAPTER FOR YA!! **

* * *

Chapter 37: Bolt From The Blue

Gaara awoke to the sound of his uncle's voice. He rolled over onto his side and tasted his mouth, which didn't have a pleasant flavor. He's surprised he slept so well, considering his surroundings and dose of chocolate before bed, considering the fact that chocolate has a smidge of natural caffeine in it. The paprika-haired boy rubs at his eyes and slowly sits up in bed. He can hear the voices better at this height:

"You drove all morning to get here? You could've waited; the boys didn't do any of the things I know you're thinking of; you must've threatened Naruto pretty good, heh heh."

"I 'ppose so, but you can never be too sure, eh, Kyuu?" he jokes. "'Sides, I wanted to come early. You saw the sunrise on the mountain this morning, right? It's gorgeous; so I came here to see if I could catch it."

Shukaku's gruff voice was in a humorous tone until the end, where it grew softer. Gaara stood and marched towards the bathroom to splash some water on his face to wake him up. It was then that he noticed how warm it was… Kyuubi must have turned up the heat in the cabin since last night.

"Gaaaarraa…" Shukaku calls from the kitchen. "I hear you up, kiddo."

Shaking his head at the bathroom mirror, the poet dabs his face dry and makes a roundabout sigh. Then he goes to face the two men. "Morning," he says curtly. He spots the coffee maker, the pot half full of espresso-colored liquid. He immediately pours himself a mug.

"Does Naruto sleep in late? It's almost ten o'clock." Shukaku remarks.

The russet-haired man laughs. "Yes, he tends to sleep in every weekend until at least ten thirty. He'll be up soon enough." Kyuubi stands and cracks his neck. "So, who wants breakfast?"

"I do. And you better make my nephew something as well; he has a big day ahead of him."

Gaara frowns as Shukaku winks at the end, as if he and Kyuubi know something Gaara doesn't.

"There he is," Kyuubi starts as he digs around fr a frying pan. "Good morning, kit."

"Stuff it," is Naruto's reply.

"Seems someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," the tattooed man teases. He runs a hand through his sandy hair. "Gaara, I've noticed, is always quiet during the mornings, but I expected you to be nothing but energy, Naruto."

"Humph," replies the blonde, "Not really…" and he yawns as if to prove his point. "I will later, but not right now. It takes a while."

"So I've learned," Kyuubi agrees. While he bustles around the kitchen collecting supplies to make eggs, he continues: "I just wish my sister could've had the chance to warn me of his temper in the morning. Once, he was running late for school because he refused to get out of bed. So, I go in there to wake him up, and he punches me square in the jaw! And afterwards, he doesn't' say he's sorry, only says, 'Screw you, I'm going to stay home today'." He shakes his head. "I dunno, maybe Kushina didn't have to deal with him like that since he wasn't a teenager before she died. All I know is, don't mess with Naruto in the morning."

"Damn straight," Naruto chuckles breathily. "But I'll be good this time; I have company."

Kyuubi frowns down at the pan in his hands. "You know what? Let's skip a homemade breakfast. I have a bad feeling I'll overcook it. Plus, we're low on groceries since I asked for the basics to fill our fridge before we arrived. So… how 'bout McDonald's? I think they serve breakfast until eleven, so if we hurry, we might be able to catch us some food."

"Sounds fine to me," Naruto shrugs. "Should I get dressed?"

"Nah," Shukaku answers for Kyuubi. "We'll just run out and get it. What do you want?"

"Two sausage McMuffins and two hash browns," Naruto replies with more energy now that fast food was on his mind.

"I don't want anything," Gaara mutters when eyes turn to him for his order. He wasn't fond of fast food whatsoever.

"Suit yourself," Kyuubi replies. He moves into the living room and slips on his coat from the rack near the door. "See you brats in ten minutes. Don't burn the cabin down while we're gone."

The two grown men start up a conversation and exit. A silence wafts into the cabin and settles between the two boys. And Naruto doesn't like it one bit. Gaara doesn't seem to mind, however; he's sipping away at his coffee.

The blonde yawns again. "You looking forward to skiing?"

"Not entirely," the other responds. "I don't think I'll do very well. I'm out of my element here."

"So? You'll get the hang of it. It's not difficult; I'll teach you," Naruto reassures. He smiles tiredly. Glancing at the refrigerator, he vaguely wonders if there's milk inside. He gets up to check. Sure enough, a half gallon is present. While getting it out, he starts talking again. "You know, we're going to be gone all day. While we're out Kyuubi and Shukaku are supposed to go grocery shopping and I think they might go hiking… so we'll have to fend for ourselves at the lounge for lunch."

"That's fine." The redhead says. _Clearly Naruto's getting his usual spunk back_, Gaara thinks dimly._ They weren't lying when they said his bout of 'dragging ass' in the morning is short-lived. _

After breakfast was delivered and eaten up, it was time to suit up and begin the day's activities. For Shukaku and Kyuubi, that included buying food for all the ravenous teenagers, getting a few balloons and streamers to be festive, and generally prepare the cabin for a birthday party.

Meanwhile, Naruto would entertain Gaara away from the cabin and keep him preoccupied so not to ruin the surprise. It started off with a try to the ski rental booth.

"I think those two black sets would be the right length for us, since we're about the same height," the blonde says to Gaara lowly. He nods to the man behind the counter. "We'll take those two," and he points to the correct skis.

"That'll be ten bucks for half the day and twenty for the full day," the man says.

"Only half the day," Naruto smiles as he hands ten dollars over. He leans over to Gaara and whispers, "I don't want to overload you with skiing all in one day. So for the rest of the day we'll play around with other snowy activities. I was thinking snow mobiles."

Snow mobiles sounded dangerous and made Gaara feel a bit queasy, yet he'd nodding his approval anyhow.

The man hands them their skis and with both sets on his back, Naruto hikes over to the lowest ski lift and stabs the skis into the snow near it. "Alright, Gaara, first thing you have to do is buckle your snow boots in place on the skis. Make sure it's good and tight, because you don't want to fall out of 'em, y'know? Here, I'll put on mien to show you how."

He scoops up two of the black skis and checks to make sure they're a left and a right and not two of the same. When he's satisfied that they're different he tosses them onto the crisp snow and steps into the footholds. Bending down, he snaps them into place and adjusts a couple straps. Once he's facing Gaara again he raises an eyebrow.

"Not too hard, right? Now it's your turn."

Timidly, Gaara steps into his own skis and slides his feet into the footholds. Carefully he stoops down and begins fussing with the mechanics that hold his feet to the board. "I'm glad this isn't a snowboard," he mumbles to himself. "I'd lose my balance completely."

The blonde hears him and chuckles to himself. Glancing once at the mountain, he says offhandedly, "One of us should've used '**nadare**' for avalanche. That would've been a cool penname…"

"It'd suit you better than me," Gaara replies stiffly. "Now, how do I walk in these contraptions?"

"Like this!" Naruto provides as he slides one foot in front of the other. "It's not smart to pick up the skis and walk because you could get stuck or whack somebody or yourself; which I've done, heehee). So you shuffle in the snow instead."

"Brilliant," Gaara sighs. He felt like a moron with too-long feet trying to find his way through a desert. His legs were hurting already for the weight and force.

Soon enough they reached the ski lift. Naruto hops on the first empty one he can find and smiles heartily as he watches Gaara make his way over to him. Once seated, Gaara gulps audibly. "Don't worry," Naruto says as he squeezes the poet's hand through their gloves, "It doesn't get that high up. You'll be fine."

"When we reach the end…" Gaara starts, "Do we jump off and start skiing right away, or…?"

"You shuffle over to a good spot and then start skiing, silly. But you could do that if you wanted to," Naruto admits with a shrug. "But we're not going to. I have to teach you the basics first."

The lift ride was long and slow, and Gaara thought vaguely how cliché it would be if the ski lift froze in place and stranded Naruto and himself here for a hour or so. That'd be like the carnival moments when couples get stuck in a Ferris wheel car when the ride gets jammed and eventually they make-out…

"Ready to jump off, Gaara? We're almost to the top of this one," the blonde says right in his ear. Gaara jerks slightly, startled out of his thoughts. Looks like the cliché won't be happening this time around. He nods once in reply. "Alright, then here we go, on the count of three… one, two, three!"

At 'three' he grabs Gaara's hand and shoves off the ski lift bench. They land on their feet somehow, which brings relief to the redhead's nervous system. Glancing around, the paprika-haired boy realizes that he's eye level with the smoke from the brick chimneys. The clouds seem more within reach now, and the sun is blinding against the reflection of the sparkling snow.

"Follow me," the blonde says gently. "We'll start between those trees over there. It's a bit flatter in that area, which is good practice for how to use the skis before we go down the mountain."

Again, Gaara nods. He marches behind Naruto and once they're near the pine trees, Naruto faces the bottom of the snow-topped mountain.

"Stand next to me. Now, when you want to go faster downhill, make your skis parallel into French fries. But when you want to go slower, you want to turn your hips and angle your skis into a triangle like a slice of pizza."

"Must you relate everything to food?"

Naruto laughs. "Yes; you got a problem with that?" He turns back to the skis on his feet and gets into teaching mode once again. "Be careful not too lean forward too much like this, alright?" He demonstrates, and using the skiing forks he balances himself. "You're not a chicken pecking for seeds. And if you try to be, you'll find snow in your face and your butt in the air." He smirks, thinking of the bit of sexual innuendo which could be hidden in that sentence. Ignoring those thoughts as much as possible, he moves on with his lesson: "But don't stand too erect –" again, he smirks at the sexual innuendo in such a word "– Or else you could fall backwards. Plus, you'd be going kinda slow that way. So when you ski, make sure you're leaning forward just a little." Just as he's about to let Gaara try, he remembers something: "Oh! When you see people going side-to-side all fancy-like on TV and stuff, that's not real. You do rotate your hips –" yet another perverted thought crosses his mind "– To turn, though. So remember to do that if you come across an obstacle." Boy, his mind must really be in the gutter today; that was three pervy thoughts in one mini-speech! All he needed now was his iPod Touch playing 'Inside of You' by Hoobastank or 'Gay Bar' by Electric Six and the moment would be complete.

"Like what?"

Snapping out of his wandering thoughts, Naruto responds: "Like a rock or a tree, of 'course. This mountain side isn't perfect." Naruto nudges Gaara with his skiing fork. "Okay, time to try. Use your sticks to push off and then keep your skis at the French fry position. When you reach the last… oh, I dunno, twenty meters? Thirty meters? Of the mountain, lean back a it and go slowly into the pizza position and angle your hips to one side to stop. Meet you down there!"

With that said, Naruto pushes off and races down the slope. Irritated that he just left, Gaara chases the blonde and tries to do what he was instructed to do properly. He find his legs suddenly wobbly as he flies down, getting closer and closer to the once small wooden buildings below. He forgot to put on his goggles, and suddenly the word seems much sharper and icier as cold tears sting his black-rimmed eyes.

Nearly reaching the bottom, Gaara attempts to slow himself. He knows Naruto is waiting for him, he can see the puffy orange jacket and black snow pants; but he's too intent on stopping to wave or make any notation that he sees his boyfriend.

Unfortunately, Gaara's complete stop ends with his butt on the ground and one ski missing on his feet. He ended up hitting a small snow-covered rock at the bottom.

"Resshin!" Naruto calls with worry coating his voice. "Are you all right?!"

"Tch…" the earthquake hisses as he rolls over and dumps snow out of his hood. "Yes." He forces himself to stand, his tailbone and left knee aching in the slightest. He tosses his bangs to their usual place over his tattoo and kicks off his snow boot that held the remaining ski.

"You have to watch out for teeny bumps in the ground like that," Naruto tells him softly as he brings Gaara to his feet.

Gaara hops on one leg so not to get his thick maroon sock soaked. He leans half his weight against Naruto and sniffs. He smelled blood. Did he hit his nose?

"Dammit… you cut your cheek on something."

_That must be the blood I smell,_ he thinks rationally. Distantly, the poet touches his cheek and pulls away quickly when it stings. His cheek was too numb to feel the heat, but he could plainly see the sticky red substance on the tip of his glove.

"Here," the hurricane murmurs. He pulls a Kleenex from one of his multiple coat pockets, licks it, and dabs away at Gaara's cheek. Even through the numb cold, the redhead can feel himself flushing in the slightest. "All gone." He pauses as he looks over the situation. "Want to go again, or move on to something else?"

"You paid for a half day's worth of skis," Gaara replies, "So we're going to use them a full half day." He wasn't about to give up yet.

The blonde chuckles. "That's the spirit."

o0o0o0o0o

They ended up skipping lunch. Gaara wasn't hungry per usual, and Naruto was too keen on having fun in the snow to feel much hunger.

_It's almost time for the party,_ Naruto realized as he stole a peek at Gaara's watch. _I could probably kill the last of the time we have with some racing._ "Hey," he says cheerfully, "Why don't we rent those snow mobiles I mentioned?"

"…Sure," the redhead says after a minute of thought. It shouldn't be as dangerous as he originally thought; after all, skiing ended up being much less of a pain in the neck once he got the hang of it. Snow mobile riding shouldn't be much worse.

And he was right; it wasn't. He found himself laughing airily as sheets of white sprayed from either side of him and the buzzing hum of the engine underneath him allowed him to go to speeds no human could reach without assistance. Adrenaline (very unlike the sort he felt when he was fighting with the Akatsuki under a month ago) coursed through his veins and brought him up to soar at new heights.

"This is… fun!" Gaara shouts to Naruto as if it was the biggest revelation of his life.

"You make it sound like you've never had fun before!" Naruto shouts back with a curt laugh.

The redhead ignores that remark and speeds on. He curves around two trees in a figure eight and then goes off a small ramp, yelling at the top of his lungs as he made a rainbow of snow fall under his little vehicle. The blonde smiles wider at his love's enjoyment and goes off the same ramp. He suddenly signals to Gaara to slow down.

"Let's race these babies back to the cabin," he suggests. They've been on them for about an hour now, which made it time to return to get the surprise party started.

"You're on," Gaara retorts. He revs the machine and it roars back out of idle as he and Naruto compete. In the end, Naruto won.

Turning off their snow mobiles and parking them beside the excess firewood on the side of the cabin, the walk towards the front entrance.

"Why did Kyuubi rent such a large cabin?" Gaara ponders aloud. The question had been at the back of his mind since the three had pulled up in Kyuubi's car.

"Oh, you'll see why…" Naruto mutters under his breath with a smile.

Taking Gaara's gloved hand, he proceeds to the door. Then, ever-so-carefully, he pushes it open…

The entire cabin is dark. The two teens step a foot inside and close the door behind them. "Are Kyuubi and Uncle Shukaku not back yet?" Gaara asks as he turns to Naruto in the darkness.

The blonde holds back giggles. "Turn on the light, will you? I can't see where to hang my coat up…" He speaks as though he'd rehearsed the line for a movie.

Gaara flips on the light.

The first thing that comes to his mind is the loud, ear-bleed-worthy noise cheering the words, "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GAARA!"

The second thing that comes to mind is all the colors: four blondes of different shades of yellow (Ino, Temari, Naruto, Shukaku), red and blue and black and silver (balloons and streamers), pink (Sakura), black (Lee and Hinata), different shades of brown (Kankurou, Kiba, Chouji and Shikamaru), and lastly, russet orange (Kyuubi).

The third and final thing he notices is how everyone is _smiling_. Everyone is _happy_ to see him. Each person in this room is glad he's here, glad he's lived another year, glad they're here to share the moment with him. They all care. And subconsciously Gaara knew Naruto was behind this; obviously his hurricane cared the most.

An expression of pure, wide-eyed shock filled Gaara's face to the brim. He wanted to frown, to ask questions, and perhaps explode, but none of that happened. Instead, he forced himself to blink and breathe, since both involuntary actions seems to have left him. 'Be still my heart' would be a good phrase to express the moment.

"You know, I was going to emerge from a giant cake in the nude, but your family protested heavily; so we threw you a surprise birthday party instead," Naruto jokes. He snakes one arm around the shocked redhead's waist and brings him further into the room as his siblings come in to crowd him.

"Happy belated birthday, baby brother," Temari coos. "But you're not the baby of the family anymore, are you? You're a man now; eighteen years old!"

Kankurou greets the birthday boy next. "Surprised, little bro?" he laughs. "Of 'course you are; this is your first real party."

"Yeah, so smile!" Ino puts in. "'Cause we worked our butts off with Chiyo – she's the culinary teacher at school – to make you a cake three times as big as Sasuke's!" She points to Sakura, who's beside the breakfast bar in the kitchen with a tall cake decorated to look like a miniature version of Suna, Gaara's hometown. "See?"

He's still rendered speechless. His jaw moves up and down and his lips twitch to try and form words, but no noise is produced. Resshin gawks at the scenery around him, nearly tempted to cry. _Why…? Why did they do all this for me…? Do I even deserve it?_

The look in Naruto's eyes reads one thing: 'yes, you do deserve it.'

"Let's get some music going, eh?" Shukaku says to no one in particular.

"I'll do it!" Lee beams.

"Use my iPod, Lee," Ino calls. "And play Owl City."

"Yes'm!" the martial artist replies with a short salute. Soon the soothing, techno-like beat of 'Designer Skyline' plays through the speakers.

"Hey," Naruto nuzzles, his breath warm on Gaara's earlobe. "Say something."

"I…" Gaara begins, his voice cracking. He clears his throat. "Thank you… everyone."

The redhead would like nothing more than to go into the bedroom and scream into a pillow or collapse on the bed or randomly weep with confusion and happiness, since his body currently is too overloaded with emotions to do much of anything else. Yet he can't. This is his party, his time to be the center of attention, his turn to be a normal teenaged boy. So, allowing a soft smile to lighten up his lips, Gaara makes his way over to the cake and lifts a knife beside it to cut it. He preferred ice cream as he told Naruto the previous night, but one slice couldn't hurt him.

"Don't you want us to sing you happy birthday first?" Naruto asks playfully.

"Yes, we must sing happy birthday to him! It's a tradition from our youth!" Lee puts in.

"I'd rather you didn't," Gaara mutters. He didn't sound angry; if anything, he sounded embarrassed.

"Aw," Lee says disappointedly.

Vaguely while slicing the cake, Gaara wondered how the two girls knew what Suna looked like. The cake was a fantastic representation of where he used to live.

As if reading his thoughts, Naruto asks, "Say, Sakura, how'd you get it to look so good? You've never been to Sunagakure… did you use a picture or something?"

She shakes her head and smiles. "Nope. We didn't even decorate it; we made the cake and frosting but Chiyo decorated it for us; she lived in Suna for a really long time, almost her whole life. She only moved here for a better job."

Naruto laughs. "Sounds like you and the old bat are getting to be friends."

Sakura punches him in the arm. "Don't call her an 'old bat'!"

Vaguely, Gaara recalled a Chiyo from his years at Suna Elementary. He thinks she might've been a nurse or something of the like. He pulls out a slice of the cake and plops it onto a paper plate. It's vanilla with strawberry filling in between the layers, the redhead realizes. Not a bad choice, actually… Gaara licks his thumb of pink-red jam. It tasted tart, not overly sweet.

"It's not too sour, is it?" Ino asks. "Naruto told us you don't like things too sweet. We were thinking about buying an ice cream cake, but…"

"No, it's fine," he replies, amazed that they tried so hard. No one has ever…

"I'll take those pieces!" Kiba pops into say. He grabs two plates and hands one to Hinata. "Thanks, man! Happy b-day." A dog barks behind him, and it takes the Gaara a moment to realize that Kiba brought his dog. It appeared to be a mutt of sorts, colored cream and brown, and was fully grown. It was a big dog, too; big enough to almost ride like a horse. Now, Gaara wasn't usually intimidated by dogs, but if it weren't for the gentle demeanor of this dog, he'd be afraid of it's size. "Here, Akamaru, have a bite. It's delicious!" Kiba's saying to it. It slurps up the bite of cake and gulps it down with a smile in it's eyes. Gaara merely blinks at the display.

After some chit-chat and the devouring of the entire cake, Kyuubi grins and claps his hands together. "How about presents?"

"Ooh! Mine first!" Lee offers. He waves a green and silver wrapped package above him.

"I'm his sister, mine gets to go first," Temari orders. She holds up a slim, red-wrapped box.

"Why not mine? I'm his brother," Kankurou grunts.

"Oh, but Ino and I went shopping and got him a really good combined present!" Sakura says eagerly, holding up a blue package.

"My gift can be last," Naruto says, breaking the pattern. "It's… personal," he adds with a grin to explain himself when Gaara gives him a brief look of curiosity. The look doesn't fade after his explanation, however; if anything, it grows.

"Let's let Gaara choose who's he wants first, ne?" Sakura suggests. Although inner Sakura wanted it to be hers and Ino's gift; she wanted to see what he'd say about it, and if he liked it or not.

The poet doesn't give it much thought. "My sister's," he says while pointing at it with a long, pale finger.

"Score!" Temari mutters to herself. She comes beside him and hands her youngest brother the thin box. Once in his hands, Gaara finds it very light; it must be jewelry of some sort. Upon opening, his eyes meet up with shimmering silver. "I saw it while shopping downtown," she bubbles. "I likes the little skulls and fleur de lis on the chain. I figured you could use it as a necklace or on your pants. It's real silver, too… do you like it?"

Gaara lifted the chain and examined the tiny blood-red gems in the eye sockets of the skulls. Garnet, his birth stone. And on the forehead of each skull there was a tiny black X. It was a bit feminine and at the same time grim-looking enough to be manly. To answer her question, he smiled minutely, signaling that he liked it. Quite a lot, actually.

There was a song change, and Ino sang along with the lyrics of Owl City's 'Fuzzy Blue Lights'. She moves in with Sakura to hand Gaara their gift. "Please open ours next," she pleads.

"You'll love it, I swear!" Sakura adds with a broad grin.

Steadily getting used to the attention and friendly atmosphere, Gaara took the gift and tore the paper away. Staring back at him was a black box. He pops off the lid and discovers a thick leather-bound book with recycled paper pages (lined and tinted sandy yellow) with a metal-tipped quill and a three bottles of ink labeled 'charcoal', 'ruby', and 'sapphire'.

This is by far the most thoughtful gift he's ever received. It was clearly meant to write his poetry with in a classical, graceful manner. Gaara could honestly say he was touched. "Thank you," he says after finding his vocal cords once more.

"It was Sakura's idea, but I found it bought it," Ino says proudly. "I don't think I've read any of your poetry like she has, but I know a fitting gift when I see one!"

Gaara looks over to the pinkette. "Your idea?" he echoes.

She nods. "And Naruto's, too, I guess. When I asked him what you might want for your birthday, he said, 'something poetic; like him'. So, the first thing that came to my mind was an old-fashioned book, quill, and ink. It was hard to find, though! Ino and I had to shop on the internet for the quill and order the ink from an art store. But it came together nicely, eh?"

Naruto senses the stare Gaara's directing at him and returns it. "What? Once I mentioned a party for you, everyone looked to me for gift suggestions since, you know, I'm your…"

He shakes his head. "No, that's not what I… Naruto, you put a lot of thought into this, didn't you?" Gaara asks in his flat, deep voice. He couldn't help but inwardly blush at the thought that Naruto described him indirectly as 'poetic'. Because the way Sakura said it, you could tell she meant more than the fact that Gaara write poetry on a regular basis. She said it as thought it made up his actions and speech and everything else about him.

"Is that so hard to believe?" the Uzumaki boy winks. "I want the best for you, and sometimes I bother to use the grey matter in my head to get exactly that."

It was all so overwhelming. A few months ago, this moment would seem like a foolish childhood daydream to Gaara. And as for the people involved… well, these are the last people he would have added to the list. Because a few months ago, Naruto hated him, none of the blonde's friends spoke to him, and Lee was too shy to approach due to his old crush. But now, it seems, everything is flipped around: Naruto's said that he loved him, all of the blondes friends like him, and Lee appears to be merely a friend and not interested romantically in him at all.

It's odd how fate works.

Pretty soon, all the wrapping paper was tossed aside and trashed, a small pile of gifts lay on the trunk at the foot of Gaara's rented bed, and everyone was settling down to chat around the fire and pop popcorn for an all-nighter movie marathon.

Resshin surveys the living room of the cozy cabin. Outside the large windows snow is seen falling in scattered sheets with small flakes. But inside, everything is warm and soft with a fire lit glow matched by accenting lamps. It's comforting. Ino's music helps, too.

Speaking of which: "Can you turn the music up, Kyuubi? This is the best part of this song!" Ino chirps from the living room.

"Sure thing," the business man responds. He gets up from his chair opposite Shukaku and spins the knob of the volume dial. The music cranks up a few decibels and Ino sings louder. The song was ending, and was the last of her Owl City playlist: 'Hello Seattle'.

Due to what the cheerleader said about it being the 'best part', Gaara decided to listen in and decipher the lyrics.

_Take me above your lights,  
__Carry me through the night.  
__Hold me secure in flight,  
__Sing me to sleep tonight._

And it repeated, and during the second time around Gaara felt himself smiling. He dissected the ending of the song. It was a simple verse, sung delicately, and rhymed on all four lines (something that only works in songs; otherwise it makes a poem appear childish). The words used, however, were sweet. 'Take', 'carry', 'hold', 'sing'… all romantic. And 'me' was consistent throughout the short verse, making a direct link to whoever listened to the song. Suddenly, Gaara wanted this song on his own MP3 player for no apparent reason.

Deciding to sit between Naruto and his sister, Gaara took a seat on the couch. Sakura chats with Naruto and Ino simultaneously while Temari leans against Shikamaru. He felt a bit out of place to be intruding on both, but it was his party (even if it was a sheer bolt from the blue) so he had the rights to.

Naruto immediately turns his attention away from his best friend to his boyfriend. He smiles sweetly and opens one arm, inviting the redhead to inch closer before the chosen film began.

Idly, Naruto twirls a lock of Gaara's crimson hair. He frowns and cocks his head, momentarily pausing this action. "You know what?" he says to his earthquake, "You should cut your hair."

"What for?" Gaara mutters defensively. "I like it's length."

"I meant your bangs," Naruto chuckles. "Sorry, I should've been more specific."

"Why my bangs?" Gaara wants to know.

The blonde shrugs. "I want them to be shorter and angle above your right eyes instead of hiding your left. I like your tattoo, it suits you, so you should show it."

"Suits me?" the other boy puzzles, his voice soft and thoughtful.

"Did I hear you say 'hair cut'?" Sakura chimes in. She leans over to look Naruto and Gaara in the face. "I could do it!" she offers. "I cut my own hair all the time. It started back in middle school when I was twelve and Shino accidentally got that giant wad of gum in my hair. Remember? He and Kiba were having a 'who can chew the most gum' contest?"

"Yeah, I remember," Ino snorts from the other side of the pinkette. "I also remember how you hacked it off and it looked – not to be mean, doll – but it looked _horrible_. And I had to fix it for you." She places a hand over the top of her chest below her neck. "_I'll_ do it instead. Or if my BFF here wants to be stubborn," she points with her thumb at a quite irritated Sakura, "I'll simply fix whatever she messes up."

"I'm perfectly capable –" Sakura retorts, but is cut off by Gaara.

"Don't I have a say in any of this?" He didn't like having Naruto and Kyuubi try to plan his future birthdays, and this was no different. It was** his** hair, after all. And his choice to expose his tattoo or not.

"Nope, because I'm deciding for you," Ino sing-songs. "I think you'll look great with a little bit different of a hair style. You've had that same one forever, anyway. It's a new year, right? The middle of January and you're freshly eighteen, right? So it's time for some changes!"

"She has a point," Naruto admits. He glances at the poet.

Gaara sighs heavily. "Whatever," he says, and the two girls took this as granted permission.

"Come into the bathroom with us, then!" Sakura says excitedly.

Gaara head shoots up. "You meant now?!" A smidge of panic laced his tone.

"Of 'course, silly!" the pinkette responds with a roll of her seaglass green eyes.

"So come _on_," Ino adds, yanking on Gaara's sleeve. Sparkles seem to reflect in her nearly pupiless oceanic irises.

Sending Naruto a 'this is your fault' look, he gets dragged to the main bathroom by the young ladies. Naruto attempts to follow them; however, Gaara is having none of that.

"It's your turn to be surprised," he shoots at the blonde.

Naruto blinks. "Um, okay. Fine." He proceeds to collapse in a huff on the couch, his arms crossed. Pouting as usual.

Impatient, the two adults play the movie and pass around the popcorn as a tiny light streaks the floorboards from the bottom of the bathroom door. Naruto stares directly at that light, waiting for it to swell. When it does, his eyes dart to the middle of the doorway. Slowly, two figures emerge. Kyuubi pauses the film. A dozen pairs of eyes turn to them. "Hey, everyone! Tell us how it looks…" one of them is saying. The Uzumaki boy was hardly paying attention, though. He was too focused on the third figure that finally showed his face.

Which is exactly the difference: you could see his face. His bangs were thinner and swept towards the right half of his face in spiked clumps (his hair wasn't dry) as a nicely portioned piece of hair curved in front of his left ear on the other side of his kanji symbol. Both eyes were perfectly visible, and framed in black like always. Yet, somehow, they seemed sharper, and more of a focal point. Then, just above the hairless left brow on his face, Gaara's 'ai' tattoo sat like an unveiled actress in a bright red dress on stage. They seemed to also have trimmed the tips of the hair that hung in back so it didn't hang as low on his neck.

"Wow…" is all Naruto's able to say as his eyes travel all across the expanse of his boyfriend's face as if he's never seen it properly before.

Embarrassed and feel somewhat naked without the extra hair, Gaara's eyes fall to the floor and he silently moves back to the couch to watch the movie. But once he's seated, Naruto bursts forth in a whisper, "Can I give you my gift now?" The way Gaara looked right now, like he needed to be reassured of himself… it's the perfect opportunity to give him the old class ring.

The redhead raises an invisible brow. "Alright… I missed the beginning of the movie, so I don't care to watch it now."

Naruto grins. "Good. Come with me," he says. No one says anything when the boys leave the room, although Ino and Sakura secretly were smirking.

Naruto shuts the door of the bedroom he's using in the cabin and tells Gaara to sit on the bed. "How personal is this gift that we're in your room with the door closed?" he asks suspiciously.

The blonde immediately flushes pink. "N-not personal like that… it's something else entirely. Here…" He hesitates. Will Gaara be okay with what he's about to do? They've been through so many things already, and lots of surprises… _But I love him so much,_ Naruto reminds himself. _And I want to prove to him that I'm being dead serious about our relationship. _

Taking a deep, steady breath, Naruto joins Gaara on the bed and puts one leg up between them to face him. He twists the class ring from his pinky finger and holds it up.

"Do you know what this is?"

"An extremely old class ring?" the other supplies as his answer. His heart begins to race. What's Naruto up to, exactly…?

"That's right," he says with a smile. His hands were quaking with nerves. And that old crawling feeling from when he 'hated' Gaara was nipping at his skin again. "It was Kyuubi's when he went to Konoha High. It's has a real sapphire on it, and is fifty percent silver. And y'know, I never got why people buy class rings or why they pass them down to their children. It never made sense to me."

"It's a 'coming of age' type of ordeal," Gaara says slowly. How does this relate to his present? Naruto wasn't going to… give him that ring, was he? That's would mean… _Oh, my God. _Gaara thought. He raises a hand to his mouth and hides it from view.

Naruto shrugs. "I guess so. You get class rings to remember your high school years, and sometimes, in those cheesy movies my mom used to watch, they were used to 'go steady' with someone; which is like getting engaged to me. Pretty silly, huh?"

The redhead shakes his head. Through his hand, he mumbles out: "Not to me."

"Well, I'm glad we agree; it's not silly to me, either. I think it's the opposite, in fact: it's very serious."

Naruto reaches for Gaara's free hand (his left) and slips the blue-stoned class ring, labeled 1986, onto his ring finger. And he didn't let go. His hands warm the pale one between them, and his nerves vanish. Although they felt as if transported to Resshin, for his newly ringed hand began to quiver in Shippuuden's.

"Naruto…"

* * *

**A/N: yeah, so, cliffhanger. again with "what's his reaction going to be?!" like back at the Starbucks finally-they-meet-face-to-face chapters. sorry. and i have no idea when i can update again since i have this reading project to do and will be having much less computer time due to this "healthy living" thing i'm trying. the computer is a poision, you know; like any drug, it's addictive and takes up your time. plus, it makes you inactive. **

**so please, review, and i'll see what i can do.**

**the story is almost over now. all that's left is one, maybe two chapters, and then the epilogue. DEPENDING. like, that's merely a guesstimate, so don't feel too down.**

**NEXT CHAPTER:  
Chapter 38: Bound Together**


	39. Chapter 38: Bound Together

**A/N: hullo, readers. i regret to inform you that this will be the last official chapter of DB. the next chapter will be the epilogue, making this a full even 40 chapters when posted on FF.n, althoguh only 39 chapters worth of story. but, in the next chapter, i will have honors for all my reviewers, and possible prizes! plus, the first shot of my threeshot sequel is already typed up. which means, by the time i'm done with the epilogue, the sequel should be posted and completed. because i refuse to leave you guys with nothing for a long time after the epilogue. so after you're done reading this relatively short chapter, review your asses off, and await the finale. okie-dokie?**

* * *

Chapter 38: Bound Together

"Naruto…" Resshin breathes out so slowly it feels like the name takes an eternity to roll off his lips. It's almost as if time stopped… along with his heart.

_Just what is Naruto asking of me? _His thoughts begin to race. Mainly questions; his mind was not wrapping around the situation. _First a party, and now this? THIS? Why… why is he doing this? And so soon? We've only been together for a few months… even if to me it seems lie much longer, perhaps a lifetime. It's impossible to think of our enemy relationship any longer. Because I… _The thought strays and remains incomplete. _But this makes no sense! Is he being sincere, or mocking me? Will this be only temporary? It's such a large step in a relationship… for someone like him, it's like he's asking me to… marry him. Or, at least, be very committed. Not that I'm afraid of that; I wouldn't mind it in the least, but… but… _

He shakes his head fiercely to rid his mind of any more thought. Gaara knows he has to concentrate on the blonde's emotions, which were overflowing from his eyes and piercing into him.

Naruto's face falls as he stares at the redhead, his hands remaining around the pale, ringed hand. "Are you… all right?"

No, he was not bloody all right. He couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach, and to make matters worse, his tongue seems to have died between his jaws. Automatically, he pulls out of Naruto's grasp and brings his knuckles to graze the divot under his thin bottom lip. Gaara's eyes fill with tears, the action unusual for him, and unwelcome. But he can't stop. He falls into a pit of doubt and shock – shock that is much deeper than when the lights came on in the cabin mere hours ago. The hot tears slip over his lids and run trails down his cheeks. He's embarrassed that he's crying in front of Naruto, but that's the least of his problems. His biggest issue now is to reply. He has to answer…

"I can't accept this," Gaara speaks with a low, wavering voice. He slides Kyuubi's old ring from the base of his finger and tosses it into Naruto's lap so quickly you might think it was scorching his fingertips.

The blonde's expression shatters at the display. _What did I do wrong?_ "Why can't you?!" he asks, his tone too loud.

Gaara's facial expression seems to wince and he glances away. He stands from the bed and wraps his arms around himself, showing the first sign of weakness in years. _I can't because I don't deserve it. Being happy never lead to good things for me in the past, and 'permanently' being with you would make me much too happy. And besides that, you're overwhelming me. I never thought anyone – much less someone as cheery and pure and charismatic as you – could love me. Yet here you are, professing exactly that feeling via a ring. How can you do it so simply? I don't understand… _

Resshin doesn't say any of this, knowing it would sound ridiculous. So, instead: "It wouldn't be right," he whispers. Everything feels so surreal; even his own voice was different, and he didn't feel like himself. How can one gesture do this to him? Make him so unstable?

Anger flashes in Naruto's eyes. "Not right? What about this is wrong? Just because we're two guys doesn't mean we can't –" He cuts himself off to sigh. "Look, Gaara, I really care about you. I want you to be happy… and happy **with me**. If you're not, then maybe…" He softens as he runs a hand through his blonde locks. "Maybe I made a mistake… Did I? Was it the party? Did you only want it to be us this weekend? I'm sorry, I thought –"

Gaara moves his head side to side to contradict the other. Also, it allows him to angle away from his boyfriend. "No, Naruto. That's not… I mean…"

"Then what?!" the other snaps. "I thought things were going pretty good for us, that maybe I could step it up a notch and –"

"That's not it!" Resshin retorts. He feels so confused, so lost… And he doesn't even know why. All he knows is, this doesn't feel right. Not here, not now. He hasn't even told Naruto the exact words, 'I love you' yet; so how can he accept a ring? How can he promise Naruto something he himself is unsure he's ready for? …And how can he explain all this to the blonde? Especially when he thought that even with what he felt for Naruto, this relationship wasn't going to last. It was on everyone's faces and probably whispered behind closed doors; the redhead could sense it. But now, that seemed improbable. It seemed like Naruto was more than serious, like he was willing to spend the rest of his life…

Gaara shakes his head repeatedly and wishes for a Houdini of some sort to make him disappear. Because one thing was fact: this is not going very well. It's not at all what Naruto hoped for, nor what Gaara ever dreamed of.

"Please, Gaara… tell me why," Shippuuden swallows and stands to meet the boy he loves. "I can take it. Is it because…" he hesitates, his mouth feeling too dry and the room too hot. "…You don't feel the same way, or feel as strongly as you thought?" He's looking down now, full of hurt.

The earthquake shakes unnoticeably. He clenches his fists until his knuckles turn white to hold back the tremors. He can't take seeing his own actions cause so much harm to Naruto. After what the Akatsuki did, "No… I…" He bites his lip so not to let out a sob. "Please, Naruto, don't ask this of me now. Later, maybe, but not now. Not this early. Not when there's other people down the hall from us…"

Naruto doesn't comprehend, but he nods nonetheless. "Fine," he says softly. He picks up the ring from the mussed sheets of his bed. He places it back on his pinky finger, the inner walls of the metal still warm from it's previous wearer. "I'm not going back to the movie; it's late. You can finish your party without me; I'm… tired." He forces himself to yawn between the last two words to prove his point. He smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry; this was my only gift for you. I should get you something else later."

"Don't," Gaara says quickly. He turns to the door and gulps down his uneven voice. Wiping at his tears so the others can't see, he tells the blonde, "Just get some rest. Good night, Naruto."

Long after the door shuts and he numbly removes his clothing and shuts off the light, Naruto can still feel Gaara's presence in the room with him, and practically smell the traces of emotion the redhead left in his wake. It smelled timid and shaky, as well as puzzled and anxious. "What did I do to him?" he whispers to himself, his hands covering his whisker-looking marked cheeks. Warm wetness seeps between his fingers. "And why am I crying, too?" Actually… the better question would be, 'why had Gaara's tears been set off?'

Out in the living room, Gaara stated that he was sleepy. It was a lie, but no one seemed to notice. Sakura noticed one thing, though: "Where's Naru?"

Gaara involuntarily stiffens and locks gazes with her. "He's going to sleep as well," he states matter-of-factly.

Her brows come together. "He was wide awake a minute ago… what happened in there?"

He decides to be partially honest. "We both got a bit upset. It's nothing we can't fix. Don't ret over it. Now, good night." And he exits the room, leaving Naruto's best friend to stew over that information.

The poet doesn't even pause when Shukaku calls out, "What's the hell?! What's wrong? Gaara, get back here and explain!"

Maybe it wasn't a lie; because, out of nowhere, full-fledged sleep deprivation and stress whack him upside the head, and Gaara finds the floor rising to meet his face as he loses consciousness and falls into a strange, dreamless sleep.

o0o0o0o0o

Gaara woke to the sound of breathing and the light touch of someone's nails gently raking through his hair. He opened his eyes to find his head in Temari's lap, which in itself felt odd. He's never physically sought comfort from either of his siblings, nor has he received it willingly from them. Until lately.

Her dark teal eyes fall to him and she smiles. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah; you gave us quite the scare there, bro," Kankurou says somewhere above and farther down from him.

As if electrocuted, Gaara sits up erectly and brings a hand to his head as it begins spinning.

His surroundings coming into clearer view after the revolving room settled, Gaara realizes that he's on his bed in the cabin. Kankurou is sitting on the trunk at the foot of it, all the gifts set in the corner on the floor. Except for the skull and fleur de lis chain, which was glittering in the morning light on his end table.

Wait a second… morning light? He slept through the night? It had been early, at least 1:00 in the morning (give or take fifteen minutes) when he'd fainted. Which reminded him: why had he fainted?

"Did you drink enough water when you were out skiing yesterday?" his sister asks.

Gaara blinks. That answered his question: he fainted due to dehydration. "No."

Temari frowns. "You know better!" she scolds. Unlike her usual scolding, she doesn't hit him on the head. "Here, drink some now." She hands him a class of water from the bedside table.

"Is Naruto awake yet?" he poses as he raises the glass to his lips. He drinks while his sister's frown deepens.

"Yeah; he's been up since 6:00. Something about a nightmare and being unable to fall back asleep…" She crosses her arms. "What happened with you two last night, anyhow? You never told us, and it's been bugging me."

Instead of answering straight away, Gaara inspects her face. Her eyes held bags beneath them, probably due to lack of sleep the entire night. Whether that was because she had gone through the entire movie marathon that had been planned or if she had been with him, Gaara couldn't guess.

"Hello? I asked you something, Gaara. Answer me, please, and stop staring." She says with an exhausted tone, like one you might use when getting impatient with a kindergartener.

"I don't want to talk about it," he replies finally. "It's… personal."

Kankurou snorts. "Fine. I'm asking Naruto, then. I'll tell you what I find out later on, okay, Temari?"

"Thanks!" she grins mischievously.

The redhead sends her a glare, as if to scold her for turning to another source. He gives the same one to the brunette, but he's already out the door. You can hear him call, "Oi, Naruto!" from the end of the hall.

Gaara shakes his head and stands from the bed. He downs the remainder of the water in the glass and wipes his mouth on his hand.

Temari stands, the quad ponytails in her straw blonde hair falling and messily losing strands. She yanks the bands that hold them out completely. Mindlessly, she puts them on her wrist like bracelets. Raking her hands through like a comb, she asks, "Are you going to go eat breakfast?"

"No, I'm going to go for a walk," he answers.

"But it's freezing this morning! What if you catch a cold?" she retorts.

Protective as always. "I'll be fine, Temari. See you in about an hour." And he exits the room, moving to the front door to grab his coat and boots.

Behind him, Naruto is glancing… his boyfriend's?... way and cocking his head. For two reasons: he wanted to know where Gaara was going, and if they were still together after the miniscule rejection last night. _Hmm, is that what that was?_ He asks himself._ Did Gaara reject me when he rejected the class ring? And what was with him passing out? He scared me half to death! Me and Kankurou had to carry him to bed and everything…_

As if reading Naruto's mind, Temari steps into the room to explain just as Gaara closes the front door. "He got too dehydrated last night, and fainted. Isn't that strange? He's never done that before… Do you think a stress of some kind triggered it?"

"That's precisely what I'm about to find out," Kankurou says sternly. He turns on Naruto. "Now then, Blondie: what'd you do to my brother? He was fine before you lead him away last night."

"Yeah, so talk, Uzumaki," Temari threatens. Shukaku seems to be staring hard at the teen as well, awaiting an answer.

But prior to Naruto's stuttering outburst-to-be, Kyuubi steps in. "You didn't try what I think you tried, did you, Naru-to?"

Naruto visibly winces. "I might have…"

Kyuubi's eyes go wide. "Oh, dear. And how did he take it?"

"Take_ what_?! What are we missing here?" Temari huffs out in a frustrated tone.

Kyuubi sighs. "I gave Naruto my old class ring for Christmas, joking that he might give it to some girl someday. And, it seems, Gaara was that 'girl'."

Walking into the kitchen at the wrong moment, Kiba snickers. "Gaara's a girl?"

Temari doesn't hesitate to chuck a nearby pillow from the couch at his head. He ducks and it brushes past his spiky hair, but doesn't strike.

"Ha, missed!" he can't help but say.

Naruto shoots a small glare at Kiba before making a heavy sigh and continuing. "Anyway, so I offered the ring, but he kinda… didn't accept it. Said he couldn't. And I don't know why. Did I do something wrong?" He thinks briefly of the way Kyuubi described the situation. An idea comes to mind. "Maybe it made him feel too much like a girl and it embarrassed him."

Shukaku shakes his head in disagreement. "I doubt that was the reason. Gaara's not so shallow."

"He's not," Temari says with her arms crossed. "I think it might've been something else, something more… _emotional_."

"You should go talk to him, son." Kyuubi says gently.

"Yeah, kiddo; if I know anything about my nephew, I know that he's going to want to talk things over." Shukaku adds gruffly. "So you better follow him. He can't be too far outta sight yet."

Kankurou nods. "He's right, man. My little bro can be temperamental, but he gets lonely, too."

"I know…" Naruto says lowly. He inhales strongly and stands from the breakfast bar. "Okay. I'll see you guys later. I'm going to go find my Resshin."

o0o0o0o0o

Meanwhile, Gaara wanders through the snow on a random trail, the tree growth around him getting noticeably thicker. He sun crawls across the sky at a snail's pace, steadily rendering Gaara blind from the reflection off the snow. He should have brought sunglasses. To substitute as the glasses he's missing, he pulls his hood over his head and angles the rim above his eyes to shield from the sun.

As his feet fall and make soft compact-snow noises, he thinks deeply of the whole situation from every angle he can. First, he tries his hurricane's perspective of it. _Naruto was trying to be sweet and thoughtful. He wanted me to be happy, I'm sure. Naruto's not the type to lead on and turn around to betray like my uncle; I have to remember that. But at the time, I didn't. I hurt his feelings by turning him down. Does he hate me, now? He looked at me when I emerged from the bedroom and left, but I couldn't read his face. But the fact that he looked means something; if he were angry with me, he would've resorted to how he acted before and would've purposely ignored me. But to him, I bet I look pretty selfish and cruel. It might be only a ring, a small gift, but it holds a lot more value than that. 'Going steady' is like being married, especially for a case like ours. _

Then he fades into his own perspective: _Do I have commitment issues? Is that why I refused? At the exact moment, it felt like something other than that. It felt like… _He shakes his head, shoving his hands further into his pockets and his chin deeper into his coat. _I don't know. I panicked. It was overwhelming to know that someone wanted me enough to be with me for nearly forever. To know that he loved me enough to not care about how long our relationship lasted or what others thought, so long as I was proclaimed his. Perhaps that's what scared me: the fact that he didn't care. I've always been a bit self-conscious; I was trained to be. I only got the guts to take on a high-contact, major role in that last play because I trusted Naruto and wanted to show him what I could do. Even if I told him not to come to the play. But in the end, of 'course, things worked out wonderfully. _

An ice-cold breeze sweeps up through the underside of his coat and makes his nipples go rigid. He shivers violently, his legs stopping in one place for a moment. He eyes are drawn to the mountain, which stands sturdy and majestically to his left. _How come humans are so feeble compared to the elements? Why can't I be the earthquake I named myself as? Why can't I shake others instead of shaking only myself? _A suddenly moment of realization strikes him. _If I know Naruto as well as think I do, he won't dump me over this. He'll want to be with me if I'll still have him, which I will. He'll remember last night and be scarred by it, so I'll have to make it up to him. But it's the right thing, staying with him; he's the only person who's made me feel anything warm in a long, long time. And we may be opposites in a lot of ways, but we're like two halves of the same whole; and I can't simply abandon my other half. I tried to once, but it didn't last. Even then I knew it was inevitable. I'm not so stubborn like I used to be. But Naruto's stubborn, and if I tried to let him go, he wouldn't stand for it. And that's fact._

By this time, about three quarters of an hour had passed. And unsurprisingly to him (he would be surprised only if the following hadn't occurred) Naruto was hard running up behind him, calling his name. But the thing Gaara hadn't guessed what the tears heard in the blonde's voice.

The redhead whirls around and stares Naruto in the eye even at a distance. Naruto slows to a walk, his gloves wiping away at his tears. "Found you," he says once he's within earshot to mutter.

Automatically, Gaara opens his arms wide, as if they had a mind of their own and were expecting the slightly taller boy to come into them. And he did gladly.

A tingling rush of warmth spread across Gaara's body as Naruto embraced him, his arms squeezing tightly around the thinner boy's waist. Gaara's own hands lead to between Naruto's shoulder blades, which felt tense with stress even through the fabric he wore. "So you're not bitter about this?" Naruto asks quietly.

"I should be asking you that," Gaara replies. "I'm the one who didn't accept your present."

Naruto shakes his head. "I don't care if you don't want some hand-me-down piece of jewelry. I care if you want to stay with me or not."

The redhead holds back tears of his own. He refuses to cry, because a wet face in wintry weather brings ice, even if that wetness originally is hot. "I do," he says, as if his answer was obvious all along. "It's just… when you asked me…"

"You don't have to explain. I know you won't be able to, anyway." The blonde tells him. He pulls away enough to see Gaara's face. He plants a hungry kiss on the other's slightly chapped lips. "But if it's because you're afraid of me later breaking your heart, you have to believe me when I say I won't do that to you. I won't say we won't have our ups and downs, but unless you want to leave me first, I'm sticking with you. Because I love you."

Forget it, he can't hold back his tears any longer. They come spilling out, and instinctively, Naruto leans into lick them away. The action sends a hole new bout of shivers down Gaara's spine; because the tip of a hot, slippery tongue running up his cold face is so much different than warm, salty tears sliding down.

_How did I ever get to deserve you? How does karma work, that if I've been a heartless clamshell over half my life I receive something like this?_ The Sabaku boy thinks dimly.

"Some people need a break, you know," Naruto says as if to answer his thoughts. "Some people are good really deep down, and just need a bit of pushing to get them to show it. And then some people are just bound together, so no matter what one person is like, they find their precious person at one point in their lives."

Progressively, Gaara finds his voice to reply. "Where did you get that from, Naruto?"

The other shrugs as he keeps one arm around the redhead's waist and turns them to face the direction of the cabin. They were ready to head back… if they walked slowly. "I think one of those phrases might've been based off a fortune cookie or something my dad said. But I know for a fact that my mom said the first one. 'Some people need a break, dear,' she told me when I was little, a while before her death. 'Because some people can't grow up like you did. You'll understand when you're older, Naru, that everyone has problems. And sometimes, you need to think about that before you open your mouth.'"

"Why did she tell you this?" Gaara asks curiously.

"Because I got into a fight with Sasuke in first grade. We weren't always friends and hell if I know we are today. Anyhow, my mom was trying to explain that just because I have a good life, that doesn't mean everyone else does. And that I should be kind and courteous to others. I gave him a bruised knee, though. It was purple and blue from the top to the bottom and all the way around the front. If I hadn't been so flimsy, I probably could've dislocated his kneecap." He chuckles lightly. "Still… I understand what she meant. I don't think I ever fully did until after I got into that fight with you in eighth grade. By freshman year, I felt guilty about it, even if I swore to still hate you."

The poet's eyebrow muscles come together. "You felt guilty? Why?"

Naruto smiles sadly. "Because after you lose a parent, you tend to look back on everything they ever said to you. And I thought about what she said about people having a break. And I thought: 'Damn, I should have cut that guy a break; he probably was having a really bad day, and who knows, maybe he had a bad home life, too. And I only made things worse.' Which now I know is the truth, isn't it?"

Gaara merely nods.

They were nearly at the cabin. They could see movement in the windows, and it appeared that everyone was awake. Shikamaru and Temari seemed to be having an argument of some sort. Naruto licks his lips and announces, "Well then, I'd say things are settled. Unless you have something to say…?"

Gaara shakes his head. He didn't have anything to say that wouldn't make himself feel like a moron. So he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Okay," Naruto sighs. "Then let's go inside and join everyone in the rushed mayhem to pack up and leave for home. We have school tomorrow, after all."


	40. Chapter 39: Epilogue: Wrapped In White

**A/N: FINALLY I GET MY INTERNET BACK AFTER A WHOLE WEEK (to the day) WITHOUT IT! AAAH! AND I'VE HAD THIS CHAPTER AND THE SEQUEL FINISHED SINCE SEPTEMBER 30TH! DX  
here's the finale, folks. the epilogue. it's been a good run, and now it's time to wrap things up... in white. and in 5,250 words exactly. :3**

* * *

Chapter 39: Epilogue: Wrapped In White

"Hurry up, Gaara, or we're going to be late!" Naruto urges. He's frantically running around their shared apartment, collecting together clothes, food, and wedding presents for the happy couple that was getting married today: Shikamaru and Temari. Shikamaru hadn't been kidding when he said he'd propose to the cocky, stubborn blonde woman after high school.

"I'm nearly finished," Gaara replies. He sets something on his finger and a necklace around his neck from his long ago birthday party in Kumo. It's been about six years since then, perhaps a few months over seeing as how it was May thirteenth presently. He and Naruto both finished college and were twenty-two and twenty-three years old, respectively. Of 'course, Gaara's early birthday annoyed Naruto and made him feel young. But none of this mattered today; today, all that matters is the blonde's friend and the redhead's older sister.

"Ready yet, Resshin-koi?" the blonde asks. Over the years, he had stopped growing and Gaara had continued, so they were once again the same height. He holds out an elbow for his equal to take hold of.

"Ready," the other replies and takes the offered elbow.

They make their way to Naruto's bright lime green 2009 Nissan, a vehicle the blonde finally permitted to call his own. After being with the same strong-minded person for so many years, Naruto learned to get over his fear of cars. His mother's cause for death is behind him now.

Packing up everything need into the trunk, Gaara gives the okay-sign to his lover and takes the roundabout route to the passenger seat, just to let Naruto land a peck on his pale cheek. "Alright, let's get this show on the road!" the Uzumaki boy cheers, his foot hitting the gas pedal as soon as he hears the click of Gaara's seatbelt.

They arrive to the church exactly at 4:00, which is the hour of the ceremony. The two hurry passed the crowd to the reserved pews up front. Naruto stands near the groom as one of the best men whereas Gaara takes a seat in a pew with his brother on the bride's side.

As Naruto surveys the room, he's surprised to see Sasuke and Itachi sitting in the pews. Sasuke, even more shockingly, is smiling genuinely. In Naruto's memory, Sasuke always looked uncaring, snarky, or angry. But this expression was entirely different. And beside him, his older brother was also smiling, though less so. It's odd, but seeing his old best friend smiling in that manner causes Naruto to grin even broader.

"And I thought you two weren't going to make it," Kankurou mutters when Gaara comes to sit beside him, a smirk in his voice.

"You were wrong to doubt us," the youngest Sabaku sibling replies.

Then the music starts; a techno version of the wedding march, most likely requested by Temari. The whole church rises to their feet.

Kankurou nudges Gaara. "Time for us to go escort her since mom and dad are gone," he tells him. "Uncle Shu would do it, but she kinda refused him." Gaara nods and stands to greet his sister at the top of the stairs.

Temari is quite the sight to behold. She paces herself with the usual step-together-step-together, and waits a moment as her brothers come up the aisle to touch her elbows lightly. Her fingers, the poet notices, are striped white from holding on so tightly to the bouquet of paper-thin desert wildflowers, one or two stalks of baby's breath, and about five red-brown and sandy yellow roses. A few sprigs of green poke through, looking like rosemary to bring the scents and colors together. It was gorgeous. But even more gorgeous was her dress, which swooped down at an angle from her knees to reveal a few layers beneath, each layer adeptly torn and waved into stretched spirals. The top is strapless and becoming with tactfully placed sequins and beads to flow into the bottom. Her veil is frosty and short in front, but the back of the veil trail to the ground as her train beneath it glides across the floor a good four feet behind her. And her hair was out of it's usual quad ponytails to instead be in a collective, tri-knotted bun with six or seven curled loops of hair pinned into the center of the bun. And the way her makeup highlights her eyes and caresses her face… it was all flawless. And all a pure, innocent white with elegant silver.

"My God, sis," Kankurou whispers to her as they continue their journey down the aisle. "I think I'm gonna cry, you look so damn good. And you're actually getting _married_," he emphasizes. The brunette shakes his head briskly. "I shouldda said 'no' to that little pipsqueak up there. He doesn't deserve you."

"No," Gaara contradicts. "I think he does. They're a good match."

"Thank you, Gaa-cookie," she replies sweetly, teasing her younger brother with their childhood nickname for him. With a slow exhale, Temari closes her eyes. "I was a real bitch to all my bridesmaids a minute ago. I hope they don't hate me. But I was freaked! And now… I'm calm. – Sticky with hairspray and sweat, mind you, but calm. It's unreal." She re-opens her dark teal eyes and surveys the room. They were nearly to the pastor at the front, and a sweating but smiling Shikamaru in beside of the old man.

"Wedding days are like that," Gaara answers to her unspoken question of 'why the change in me?'. He uses a paraphrased version of something Naruto said. He also speaks from his own marriage-like experience. A dull smile comes to the redhead's lips at the memory of those short seven-or-so months ago.

Once they get to the front, everyone sits down again. Kankurou and Gaara split from their sister and reseat themselves. Looking back at it, now, they notice two other things about Temari's appearance: lights are streaming in through the painted glass windows behind the pastor's podium to color Temari's snowy dress with soft rainbows. In addition ,she's wearing white combat boots.

Leave it to Temari to be tough and yet radiant on her wedding day.

The pastor clears his throat and smiles at the couple. "Dearly beloved," he begins, sounding like Gaara's father's funeral all over again, but with a much happier tone, "We are gathered here today to unite Temari Sabaku and Shikamaru Nara in holy matrimony. If anyone has an objection to this union, please speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Gaara nudges his brother to stop him from making a wise crack of some kind. It works; Kankurou remains silent.

"Now then, the bride and groom have prepared a set of their own vows, and would like to read them. Temari, won't you please read yours first?"

Knowing Temari, she wrote a very heartfelt list that is both blunt and tartly sweet. And knowing Shikamaru, he had been either too lazy or thought the whole thing a troublesome drag and didn't write any at all. But that's only Gaara's guess; he could be wrong. Secretly, however, Naruto is thinking the same thing, as was half the church.

Temari brings out a piece of paper from the folds of her bouquet and holds it under her veil to her eyes. "Shikamaru…

"It's true what people say about you. You're a carefree lazy ass who likes to stare at the clouds and put off his work for later because you're too focused on the simple things in life to do squat. But it's also true when people describe you as a brilliant man with both street and academic smarts. But this isn't why I agreed to your ridiculously early marriage proposal.

"I agreed to it because even after that dumb e-mail project we met through and our failed first dates, and after all the times you drove my crazy with your antics and I drove you crazy with mine, you stayed with me. My father was never there for me; I had been the one holding our family together. But in our relationship, you hold me together. You saw passed my rough, stony outside and took me for all my mushy insides, the good and the bad. You're mature even if you're a few years younger than me, and I love that about you.

"So here I am, trying to hastily write my wedding vows and not knowing how to go about it. I don't even know why I requested to write my own; maybe it's because the pre-made, general vows don't suit our case.

"Whatever the reason, I'm here to say that no matter what happens, I'll back you up and punch out your enemies, because I'm going to be your wife whether you like it or not, dammit. Through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, and all that other rhyming shit. Because that's how I am, and how I want us to be. Since, under it all, I love you."

Naruto gazes at Temari in that very second with new eyes. The way she worded her vows is exactly how he thought she would, but he never imagined what she might say exactly. And now he saw why Gaara thought of her as a mother figure, and why she was so highly regarded in his life: because she's strong and caring. And that's a combination hard to come by.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was staring at her with what Naruto thought were those 'I just died and went to heaven' eyes; the kind that glow and are full of fondness. Quickly, Naruto steals a glance at Temari's siblings. The brunette of the two seems to be choked up and itching to applaud his sister's speech, whereas the redhead seems to be interested and thoughtful.

The pastor looks to Shikamaru. "Now you," he says.

Shikamaru gets a crooked grin. "I kinda stole part of my vows from some pre-made ones since I couldn't think; it was all so troublesome. But you know, I think I have something to add to them." He takes out a couple note cards and clears his throat. "Temari…

"With this hand, I will lift your sorrows; your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. As your candle, I will light your way through the darkness; and with a ring, I ask you to be mine."

He pauses, and you can tell that this is where he shifts from the slightly altered pre-made vows to a speech of his own. Shikamaru goes on with:

"But I don't know if I'm man enough to do all that for you. You said that I'm lazy; and I am. You said that I'm careless; and at times, I am. And when I proposed to you, I was being logical about things, and wasn't acting completely out of love; even ask one of my best men, they'll tell you that I planned it from the start.

"That's just the thing, though; I **planned** it. I **knew** we'd be together. Through thick and thin, I knew we'd stick through everything and last as a whole. Because you're determined, and I'm willing. Because I give you reason and you give me rhyme. And because no girl I've met has ever measured up to to you. You're feisty, I'll admit, but I'd be proud to call you my wife if you'll have me. …And it appears you will, because here we are.

"I know things will get rough; after all, my brains aren't always in use. But then again, what man uses his brain?" Laughter sounds from the audience in the pews. "Anyway, I'm ready to commit. I'm ready to settle down. And I want to do all that with you, Temari. You and only you."

Naruto holds back applause, much like how Kankurou had. He's proud of his friend for saying so much off the top of his head. Even if he kinda-sorta stole the beginning from Tim Burton's _Corpse Bride_. It's still a lovely round of vows.

From there, the wedding ceremony goes smoothly. And when it comes time for Temari to lift her veil and kiss her new husband, she takes the initiative and passionately kisses Shikamaru, going as far as to dip him down tango-dance style and smother his muffled, grunting protests.

The church cheers and the newly married blonde woman tosses her flowers, which promptly land in Neji's lap. An idea seems to spark in his pale-colored eyes. Sakura and Ino, however, look disappointed that they didn't catch the bouquet. And Kiba and Hinata are already engaged, so the wives tale that 'whoever catches the bouquet will get married next' doesn't apply to them if either of them had caught it, since marriage for them is inevitable. Neji, on the other hand… well, he and TenTen aren't necessarily together at the moment (she's angry with him for some reason or another), so perhaps that glint in his eye meant he had a plan.

The couple scurries along the aisle as a spray of uncooked rice showers them and they exit the building. They hop into a limo, destined for the reception dinner at a local hotel (and a fancy one if that).

About an hour later, everyone is seated at long tables at the banquet hall of the hotel. Naruto and Gaara had already placed their gifts for the bride and groom on the collective table, as well as handed their own special dish to the caterers in secret.

Temari taps her champagne glass with a tea spoon. "Shaddup, bitches!" she hollers with a smile on her face. There's a few short chuckles, but the hall is otherwise silent. "Alright. So. Welcome to the Hokage-Ritz Hotel, and please enjoy the mountains of food we have for you. But only if you brought our presents." More laughing. "Nah, just kidding. You can all eat the food, present or not. This reception is more for you guys than me; personally, Shikamaru and I just want to get the hell out of here and to our honeymoon." Even more laughter, and this time Shikamaru shows the faintest mark of a blush on his cheeks at that final word.

The caterers come by and set food before everyone, and mostly everyone digs in immediately; especially Naruto. Next to him, Gaara smiles to himself and shakes his head as he delicately begins slicing the filet mignon in front of him.

"Naruto," Sakura hisses from the Naruto's other side, "Don't you have any manners? You're a grown man, for goodness sake."

He swallows his current bite to speak. "Technically, a grown man is middle aged; over thirty. I'm a _young_ man."

She rolls her eyes. "You're impossible."

The blonde nods in his guardian's direction. "And so is Kyuubi."

Sakura glances over and nearly chokes on her food when she spots him talking to Shukaku, who is seated beside him. The businessman is in one of his "moods" and currently has two sprigs of parsley sticking out of his nostrils. You can only guess how loudly Shukaku roared with laughter.

Across the table from Sakura, Sasuke kept smacking his brother's hand. "Stop trying to steal my food, asshole!"

"You're not going to finish it," the older man grumbles.

Naruto cocks an eyebrow. "Did those two get closer since I last talked to Sasuke, or is it my imagination?" he asks Sakura.

Around a bite of rosemary/olive oil seasoned potato, she shrugs. "No, you're not imagining it; they did grow closer. Sasuke and Itachi are like father and son now. Only Itachi annoys Sasuke instead of embarrasses him."

Naruto turns to look over at Lee, who resides Sakura's other side. Under the table, they're holding hands. "And when did that happen?" he asks with a quieter voice.

Sakura stops chewing altogether. She clears her throat. "Well, let's just say he never really stopped crushing on me and was only confused about being gay. And after talking to him through that Faceless-and-Nameless thing I learned some stuff about him. And at Gaara's eighteenth birthday party when you two left the movie marathon, Lee and I had a great time together."

"So you two getting together; it's been going on for a while? Why didn't I know?" Naruto says with a hurt frown. His best friend keeping secrets from him? Now that stings.

Sakura flushes. Her voice grows lower, if possible. "Er, well… maybe I was sick and tired of Sasuke and men in general all through college and Lee was just a friend that whole time."

"Ah, I see," Naruto nods. He didn't actually understand, but he pretended to and let the subject drop, save for one last comment: "I'm happy for you two. Lee needs someone, and you do, too. It seems a bit weird, but actually, you two kind of fit in an unexplainable way."

The pinkette isn't sure if that's a complement or not. She takes it as one anyway since she knew Naruto would never say anything hurtful to anyone. "Thank you."

Naruto, finished with his food, turns his attention to Sasuke. "Hey," he acknowledges.

The raven-haired man looks up. His hair's longer and cut a bit differently, but his distant dark eyes and face appear the same. "Hey, Naruto. It's been a while."

Gaara glances sideways at his lover, wondering what he was saying to his former friend. He perks his ears to listen in, just in case Sasuke says something cruel and Naruto needs backup.

"Yeah, it has. How ya been, Sasuke?"

The other shrugs. "Okay, I guess. I can walk again if that's what you mean. I limp a little, but I haven't needed the crutches for two years now, and the wheelchair for twice as long."

"Awesome," Naruto says. The moment is awkward for him, Gaara can tell. Especially since neither Shippuuden nor Resshin knew if the younger Uchiha still held some feelings for the blonde or not.

Reading the looks on their faces, Sasuke shakes his head. "No, Naruto, I'm not still in love with you. I've found someone else."

"I didn't say anything about that…"

"But you were thinking it, dobe. I know your mind."

Naruto grins. "The good old Sasuke that I like is back!"

Sasuke smirks. "Hn. Guess so."

Suddenly, something Sasuke said sparks in Naruto's head. "Wait… _who_ did you find?"

"That's none of your business."

Itachi smirks and tells the blonde to spite Sasuke, "It's this guy he met in college." His face turns hard. "Personally, I don't like him. I think he's more of a bastard than my fool of a brother is, and that's saying a lot."

"_I'm_ the bastard? You're the one who – uhg, never mind. I'm not talking to either of you." Sasuke shoves a bite of steak into his mouth to keep from speaking.

The elder Uchiha shrugs. "It's not wise to stay in a relationship with a guy like him; you should dump him before he expects something out of you, Sasuke."

"We've been over this, Itachi," Sasuke scowls. "Leave it be. We're at a wedding reception. We're supposed to celebrate love, not diss it."

"But that guy doesn't love you, he's using you, I say!" Itachi snaps back in a low voice. "You're better off alone, trust me. Not unhappy, but definitely uncommitted."

Sasuke pounds the table, causing the dishes to leap and the glasses to ring. "Shut up!"

Half the room falls quiet.

Kiba starts cracking up. "Always have to make a scene, don't cha, Sasuke?"

Not wanting to embarrass himself further, Sasuke gets up and leaves. Neither Temari nor Shikamaru protest; they only invited him out of courtesy. So when Itachi leaves, they act as though the outburst hadn't happened.

"Time to cut the cake!" Temari chirps some twenty minutes later. But it seems Chouji had beaten them to it.

Every guest frowns at him. "What?" the pudgy man says in his defense. "I thought this was a serve-yourself dinner! So when I finished eating, I helped myself."

Kiba laughs at that one, as does nearly the entire room. The bride, on the other hand, isn't laughing. She merely whacks him with a white paper fan, consequently tearing it, and cuts the rest of the cake equally. Everyone gets a slice of the dark-chocolate-peppermint cake and swears it's the most moist cake they've ever had.

After cake and idle chit-chat, it came time for the dancing portion. Shika is reluctant to dance, saying he sucks at it, but Temari begs to differ. "You're fine; I was at both your proms as your date, wasn't I? I know you can dance, so suck it up and get on the dance floor with me."

So he removes her garter (as is tradition) and they get dancing, first with a fast-paced sequence similar to a tango, and then into a slow-dance. They take up the entire center of the floor, and other couples spin around them like tops. The infamous Shippuuden and Resshin among those couples.

"I'm really not the best slow-dancer, Gaara… I mean, you remember senior prom…" Naruto whines.

"Oh, I remember," the redhead replies stiffly. "Which is why I'm going to teach you right now. Place your right hand on my shoulder and your left on top of my right," he instructs.

"But that's where the girls' hands go!" he complains further.

"Then the people who created slow-dancing should have thought of male/male couples. But they didn't, so stop dragging your feet and get serious." Gaara retorts.

Naruto sighs exasperatedly to the point of groaning, but does as he's told. The small of his back tingles under his tux from Gaara's hand, and comforting heat forms between their clasped hands. Slowly, the blonde grows okay with this.

"Now, watch my feet," the poet tells him as he leads in time with the beat. "Step, one, two, three, four; turn; step, one, two, three, four…"

His eyes glued to the floor, Naruto follows. Soon, he's getting the hang of it, and can look directly at Gaara's face while he dances. He smells patchouli oil emitting off some female dancer near him – most likely Hinata – and can barely smell the familiar scent of his lover. But he doesn't mind; staring into those amazing aqua eyes lined in black and framed with strands of red is enough for now. The kanji character for 'love' smiles at the blonde, and he smiles back. Suddenly, he wishes he could see Gaara's full body; he never did get a good look at his earthquake in a tuxedo, and it's been years since he was dressed in one for prom…

The music abruptly stops. Naruto turns to look at where a crowd is gathering around the DJ. Neji is up in the booth with a microphone in his hands. He's waving the bouquet Temari threw to him in TenTen's general direction. "TenTen!" he's calling out to her, "I know you're upset with me right now, but hear me out, will you?"

The crowd looks to TenTen. She blows her bangs off her face and tosses her head, accidentally loosening one of the buns on the side of her head. "What is it, Neji?" she asks with crossed arms. But Gaara and Naruto can tell by her tone that she desperately wants to hear what Neji has to say. She must not be mad at all, and still very much in love with him, because you don't go handing out such a tone of voice without love behind it.

"After seeing Temari and Shikamaru so happy tonight, I realized how jealous I am of what they have; surely our relationship is stronger than theirs from more years, and yet we're the ones having the problems? I couldn't understand it, and I didn't know how to fix it. But then I caught these flowers and I thought: TenTen and I are destined to be together. Can you deny destiny, TenTen? Please…" Neji says, coming down from the DJ booth and walking towards her, "Will you marry me?"

She doesn't think twice. TenTen bubbles up with an inner water volcano and leaps into his awaiting arms. "Of 'course, you dolt! I was only mad at you because you hadn't asked me sooner!" And she kisses him full on the mouth.

Naruto laughs. Without that small moment with Sasuke at dinner aside, this has been one fabulous day. So many smiling faces… so much overflowing love… it's miraculous.

The music starts up again, an upbeat song by Cascada which Naruto thinks is the old popular single, 'Everytime We Touch'. If you ask him, they should play 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies' since it mentions a wedding in it. But whatever; this seems more like Temari and Shikamaru's song than anything composed by Panic! At The Disco.

The night settles down after Neji's proposal and steadily, the crowd thins as people head home. As the last guests to leave, Shukaku, Kyuubi, Kankurou, Gaara and Naruto approach Temari and Shikamaru.

"So, how come you didn't open your wedding gifts?" Kankurou and Naruto want to know.

Shikamaru shrugs. "Too bothersome; we're going to wait until after the relaxing honeymoon, thanks."

Temari shakes her head and leans towards the two and mutters, "I let him win that argument. To be honest, I don't care when we open the gifts. But since he seems to care, I didn't fight him on it. We'll have plenty of time to fight later on in life about the petty things, ne?"

In turn, they both chortle and her brother clamps his hand on her shoulder. "You pretty much have this marriage thing down to a tee, don't ya, sis?"

"Damn straight," she replies with a short laugh. "Now unless you have anything _muy importante _to say, we're off to the airport."

Kankurou waves her away, as if he's already saying goodbye, but Shukaku, Kyuubi, and Gaara have something on their minds they'd like to voice. Shukaku steps up first to give his niece a bear hug and a jab in the ribs with his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, girly. You've got a big life ahead of you now; college is in the past, marriage and children and jobs in the future. But don't let all that mess up what you want and need, alright? And remember that you always have a home to come back to with good ol' Uncle Shu if you fall in the Money Hole."

Temari smiles warmly and returns the hug and the jab. "Thanks, Uncle. You have your flaws, too, but I'd say you did a better job with us than Dad did."

Shukaku sniffs at the mention of his brother, but pushes the air with his hand to move that statement aside. "Tch, get outta here. Go! You have a plane to catch." And he walks away towards his car.

Kyuubi can't help but laugh. "You should know better than to flatter him when he's being nice," the fox-like man warns her. "Shu doesn't like being called on when he's nice." He hugs her. "I don't want to repeat, but _do_ take care." He looks to Shika, who appears bored. "And **you**," he says in a threatening tone. Shikamaru stands stiff for a moment. "I've known you since you were a wee brat. You've always been welcome, but now that I've met Temari, it's safe to say that I like her better than you. She has guts. So if you break her heart now that you're committed, boy, there'll be hell to pay. 'Cause through Gaara and Naruto, she's one of the family. And you know how I am about family."

Shikamaru swallows, feeling uncomfortable under Kyuubi's red-brown gaze. "Yessir," he replies.

The business man smacks him on the back and grins. "Glad we agree. Now off with you to Happy Land or wherever it is you're vacationing." And then he, too, walks away from the couple.

It's Gaara's turn. "Temari," he murmurs, "I wish you only happiness. As a brother, you have my blessing." And he's about to leave it at that, but she pulls him back with her manicured hands. He trips and falls backwards into his sister's arms.

"You didn't think I'd let my baby brother leave without a hug, did ya?" Temari smiles. She's getting a bit emotional. To prove the point, she snuggles Gaara to her chest, an action that he's not used to and at the same time doesn't mind. Tears melt into her mascara, but it doesn't run, thank God.

"Okay, okay, that's enough; can I have him back now?" Naruto grumbles with his arms folded over his chest. A man, out of college and making a living, getting jealous of a hug from his lover's sister. Temari doesn't know whether to be offended that she can't even hug her own brother or content that her brother found someone who loves him that much to act this protective.

Either way, she releases Gaara with a kiss in his blood red hair and waves them all goodbye. Shikamaru follows suit and they climb into the limousine, the cheesy decorative cans in back and the classic 'Just Married' sign hanging from the bumper flashing everyone.

"What a day!" the hurricane sighs as he puts his arms behind his head in a carefree fashion. By doing so, the too-short shirt of his tux slips from its tucked place in his dress slacks, revealing his stomach.

The earthquake comes up from behind and snakes his arms around the exposed waist. He heats his cold hands with the skin there.

The sudden coolness on his tummy makes Naruto jump. "Whoa! You're freezing! Why is that? It's_ May_."

Gaara shrugs and buries himself deeper into Naruto's shirt. Naruto shivers, but not from the cool tendrils wrapping around him. No, he's shivering from the pleasantry of the embrace. Over the years, his lover has grown quite bold in the affection category. But only with Naruto.

"Let's get you home, Resshin-koi. Maybe I could warm you up when we get there…" he hints with a wriggle of his blonde eyebrows.

A beautiful flush burns the redhead's ears, and that's enough to satisfy Naruto. Without warning, he scoops up his "husband" bridal-style and carries him to the Nissan.

And they drove to their apartment, eventually living happily ever after.

In fact, you could say all of their friends 'lived happily ever after'; because Lee and Sakura, along with Kiba and Hinata, as well as Neji and TenTen, all got married within the next few years; that was a lot of weddings to attend. Aside from them, even Sasuke got a relatively nice ending; he ditched the boyfriend he had that Itachi didn't like and ended up alone just as his brother had predicted… but he wasn't unhappy. After the years mended her heart, Ino re-befriended Sasuke, although she married Chouji after he lost an enormous amount of weight and showed interest in her. The three moved near a beach; Ino and Chouji obviously together, and Sasuke a ways away but in the same city.

As for the Akatsuki and the ANBU… well, no one heard much from them again. The Akatsuki died like a passing fad since it lost so many members, but the ANBU carried on in secret to keep Konoha protected from any other threat.

In the end, things balanced out. And there was no detrimental benefit left in someone's sore hands; there was quite a _cataclysmic peace_ instead.

_**.**END**.**_

* * *

**A/N: Alright, now it's time for the honors. I know you've all been waiting for this, even if you are sad about this story ending (at least that's what the reviews I get say). **

**First of all, I'd love to thank each and every one of you. If you're not mentioned, I'm sorry, because I still do appreciate any reviews you left. If you've never reviewed this story before and are merely a reader, then I'm thankful that you even read the story. I've never, EVER, anticipated that I'd have a story this popular, nor this long, and with a YAOI main pairing of all things. So thank you, thank you, thank you.**

**Second of all, since I got my internet back finally and was able to post this and the sequel all in one day, I hope you all may review it, despite the fact that it's no where near as epic as this since I was running out of idea and merely wanted it to be a three-part chapter-long thing in-between the end of 38th chapter of DB and it's epilogue. So I apologize for the length of it, but still hope you like it anyway. Which you probably will; I mean, smut is smut, right?**

**Third of all, some of you will get weird honors. PLEASE, I BEG YOU, TAKE THEM WITH GOOD HUMOR. TAKE NO OFFENSE. I'm joking on a lot of these, people. I like to joke a lot. It's like my version of Gaaracasm. **

**With that said, here we go. Oh, and while sifting through, there is so real order. Just because you're listed at the bottom or last doesn't mean you aren't special or something. Same goes for if you're listed at the top, huhu. What really matters is what I say to/about you, not what arrangement you're listed in. Okay? Okay.**

B.D. Garretson **and **Kyoxsakifan – **you two get the honor of friendship and fastest reviewers. You both e-mailed me back and forth throughout this entire story and provided a few words of wisdom and plenty of support. Plus, you reviewed damn near every chapter. One of you I've known for quite a few years now, and the other I only met recently through FF.n but am glad to have met you. And as an added bonus, you both were usually first to review my new, exciting chapters! Yay you! XD**

Rianne-ennaiR – **you get the honor of push. You pushed me through this long fanfic with adoration and when I offered you random previews, you assured me what was appropriate and what wasn't, and was a good little girl by reviewing and cheering me on. Love ya, hun.**

Icebender21 – **I love you. Not in the same context as Gaara and Naruto, but I seriously love you. You get the honor of most loyal reader/reviewer. You're consistent with your reviews on my updates and even said in your most recent review that you might re-read this and then make sure you reviewed every single chapter. Do you have any idea how happy you make me? Your reviews are like candy! I look forward to them. (well, I look forward to a lot of people's, too, but you're in my top three.) …Did I mention that I love you? -glomps- ((favorite quote of mine that you made: "Yosh! Super Special Awesome Gaara Birthday Party Operation success!" ))**

Mariana-sama – **you get the honor of most exited response. You review I know every single chapter (pretty much), and each time you give such kind words and enthusiastic replies. It was wonderful to receive. Best thing? You were there for both Changed By You and this story. Both times you were a great big bubble of fangirlism, emotional reaction to a chapter, and joy for each of my updates and to me when I see that you reviewed. You make me smile.**

Devastating-Sisters – **you two get the honor of most interesting reviews. On a side note, I miss you two! I'm sure college got in the way, but you haven't reviewed in a long time. No matter; you get an honor anyway. Your combined reviews always sported joy in my writing and comments on all the little things. Each and every review of yours, Berri, and yours, Kitsune, were welcomed and cherished.**

CeruleanRipTide – **you get the honor of fame. I am so pleased to have a GaaNaru writer such as yourself reviewing and reading my stuff. You, too, haven't reviewed in a while, but you were there in the beginning when my story was at it's sweetest. And all your comments were taken to heart, no matter how small. And I adore your GAARA fanfic; it's extremely popular as far as I've seen (lots of favs and ooh, looky! reviews!), and I'm glad. You deserve that, and much more.**

Temari88 – **Now, I really love you, girl. You receive the honor of longest, most detailed reviews. You never failed to make me giggle and smile and feel utterly mushy inside with your own sentiments and little comments on just about everything in a chapter. Out of them all, your reviews are probably my top favorite, (no offense to anyone else). Yours were too awesome to pass up. And I just adore your poems about the two characters I love writing for.**

Tsukia13 – **I nearly always get a review from you. And you are the ever-wonderful voice of kindness and support. You receive the honor of love. Which wounds lame and kinda weird, but you do! You're so great with reviewing and saying nice things. **

Gaara Itachi1 – **you get the most frequent reader honor. You're always reading, always reviewing, and always giving your opinion. And it's great. (hearts)**

Alcorion – **Hey, man, guess what? You get the honor of the unexpected. And here's the dumb reason why: you're male, LOL. Which I find funny since I normally associate a story like mine with female readers. This could be another reason why you have an honor; 'cause you're one of the select few males (that I know of) who read this, heh heh. That aside, I like replying to your reviews, and you've stuck with this story for quite a while.**

YamiTenshi – **you are one seriously amazing gal. You get the honor of intellect. As little as you say sometimes, you tend to say just the right thing. And never in a stilly manner. And you yourself write mind-blowing stories for the same pairing, and with good taste. :3 **

Jess Anime – **you came into the game about halfway through (as far as recent updates go), but have reviewed damn near every chapter. so you get the honor of most reviews. For the longest time, I'd come to my inbox and see another review from you as you progressed throughout the story, and each comment you left was heartwarming. **

Between-The-Netherworlds – **even if it's not made/posted yet, you egt the fanart award! You like my story enough to bring it to visual life, and that's enough to make me want to squeeze you with love and give ya an honor. Plus, in your reviews, you always have stuff to say. :D**

RadioactiveJello – **you've been with this story since I can't remember when, and I've enjoyed your reviews quite a lot. So you get an honor, although I can't think of any in specific besides having TEH COOLIEST PENNAME EVUR! XD (seriously. How did you come up with that? It's hilarious and awesome and if the jello is green and from the school cafeteria, then it's also totally true. **

Kythy **and** jinsane226 – **you guys get the honor of support. You three always have something supportive to say and review very often. …Pardon my lack of words, I'm tired from babysitting until 11:00 last night and waking up at 7:00 this morning. But know that I really, very much appreciate you three!**

kkbug33 – **oddly, you remind me of my cousin. Her name is Katelyn and we call her Bugs since she used to love Bugs Bunny as a kid. So when I see your username, I think of her. That aside, you get the honor of run-on-sentence rambler. Your reviews are my only reviews which feature text speak and no punctuation, LOL. And I love it. It makes me smile every time, and I love to reply to what you have to say since you normally voice quite a lot. **

miskie27 – **I bet you saw this one coming! You get the… EASILY AMUSED HONOR! Heehee. I know, I'm a dork for giving you that since you always end your reviews with "miske is easily amused". But you really are easily amuses from what I can tell by your reviews. Which always are positive and wonderful, by-the-way. (hearts to you)**

17AutumnLeaves – **I simply love your reviews. Can I say that to start off with? Ahem. Anyway. You get the honor of most thoughtful. Each of your reviewers make me think, and none of them have failed yet to make me want to hug you. You rock!!**

fridamoore, naruto's sis and itachi's girl, Datenshi-Moon, **and** My Pet Gaara –** this group gets the 'update soon plz&kthnxbai' award. In practically every review, one or all of you asked or told me to update soon. It's funny, because if I didn't love reviews and my readers so much, I might get annoyed upon hearing that, since it's so unoriginal. AND YET, I just laugh. I don't care that you guys, or any of my above reviewers write that. Know why? because I already know that I will update soon. Moreover, I know this phrase means you guys lovelovelove my story and want more of it. So I'm not annoyed. Which means this honor is a good one, un. (damn Deidara… D: )**

fallen550 – **you have been here since pretty much the beginning, haven't you? Well, I'm not sure what to call your honor, but you deserve something. 'cause you're just that awesome. :D**

IraInvidiaInvictus – **you haven't reviewed in a little while either, but your reviews were always long and reflective. So you get the Mirror Honor. Main example of this: the review you left on Chapter 24: The Truth Stings. 8D**

Firex – **hey, Jacob. Know what? You get the Gaara fanboy honor. Yup, I know, totally silly. But since I really like you, you get to have one of my funny awards. 'Cause, I mean, you only read this story for him for the most part, right? I know you had other reasons, and that you liked it and all, but still. I find it amusing. W00T TO NORTH CAROLINA! Ahem. sorry. I'm just determined to magically meet you when my dad moves us down there to Charlotte, which you said is kinda-sorta close to where you live. I don't mean to sound stalker-ish since we only recently met, but I dunno, the thought of possibly someday meeting one of my online friends makes me happy. Moving on…**

Death's Shadowy Past – **you get the comparison award. You compared and contrasted the events and characters and mentioned Changed By You, my canonverse GaaNaru fanfic.**

Raidon Phantom – **you receive the honor of questionnaire. You questioned what would happen next or what I was going to do (in mostly PMs). And half the time, I told you or hinted, heehee.**

Suzume Chiyu – **you get the feedback honor! I mean, every review is feedback in general, but you constantly had a shitload of things to say. And I think it's funny that you mostly like SasuNaru but I kinda-sorta made you like GaaNaru a lot, too, heehee. Keep rockin', girl. (heartheartshearts)**

Arie-Bo-Bo-chan – **haven't heard from you in a while but you were there in the beginning. And so you two get the 'here then gone' award, LOL. Don't take that the wrong way, please; you're both great, truly. I just think it's funny/weird that you both were reviewing quite a bit and then went POOF! Heehee.**

GoldenKitsuneHime13 – **I dunno what award to give you but you're just plain awesome. so maybe you get the awesome award? HEEHEE. Yeah. actually, I think that works out just fine… X3**

Midnight-star363, ednama, **and** forevrlostinme – **you three don't review as often as some (although of you, forevrlostinme reviewed more), and you don't have much to say sometimes, but I want you to know that you guys are worthy of a mention because even if I have no real honor, I do treasure your reviews. :)**

**And last but certainly not the least (since it took me a while to find the person) the honor of prediction. GOMENASAI, but I forget who I originally wanted to have this award! And I can't find the review that made me think of this honor to begin with. BUT if someone did have it, it would read something like: "You often made comments in your reviews about something you thought might happen, and 80-to-90 percent of the time, you were correct or very (very!) close." …but more personalized. / **

**Anyway, that's all, everyone. The sequel is posted so please, read it and hopefully be satisfied. **

**Finally, the biggest fanfiction project I've ever done is over. Now I can rest. **


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